The Headteacher and Governors of Alexandra Park School have begun a consultation process on the school applying for Academy Status.

APS is a very succesful and oversubscribed local school. It is currently constituted as a Community School, managed and supported through Haringey Local Authority. A change to Academy status would mean the school withdrawing from the borough structures and running as an independent institution directly funded by government. Additionally Academy Status means a school could seek support from corporate or personal funders. This would result in significant changes both for the school and for the borough.

The school would have to seperate from the shared services and resources currently provided to all Harringey schools by the Local Authority. The council would lose the section of fundings that currently support APS meaning a reduced pot to provide support services across all of the borough's schools. Academy status also means the school would become its own admissions authority - setting their own conditions to determine who who could attend, rather than accepting students on common admission arrangements across the borough as at present. Whilst the statement from APS says their aim is to be non-selective other schools (for example Fortismere) have introduced an element of selection once they have removed themselves from "Local Authority control". This has been described as a "distortion of choice" allowing schools to choose pupils rather than pupils to choose schools, and has an impact on the intake of schools in the surrounding area.

Research published this weekby the Association of School and College Leaders suggests that schools which are exploring Academy Status overwhelmingly believe it will mean them becoming financially better off. This is despite the assertion by the Department for Education that there should be no financial incentive or disincentive to schools becoming academies.

The core of the debate is a view on whether education should be something provided as collectively organised  and owned public service or whether an independent institution - with corporate support or cash from a wealthy individual - could ultimately deliver a segregated and divided education system to a selective intake.

A group of a group of local people, parents, teachers and students who oppose the break up of Haringey’s schools community has establised Haringey Campaign Against Academies to organise opposition to the changes. A public meeting on Tuesday 22nd March will discuss the proposals.