A YORK secondary school has set the date for its plans to become an academy and establish a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) trust.

Fulford School, which has about 1,400 pupils and is rated outstanding by Ofsted,will opt out of local authority control and is due to complete its conversion by December 1 this year.

Dates have also been timetabled for seven of Fulford School's feeder primaries to convert to academies next year with two more to be confirmed, making it the largest multi-academy trust in the city.

York Press:

In a letter to parents, head teacher Lorna Savage said: "Fulford School and most of our intended partner schools have now received their academy orders and thus are able to begin the conversion process.

"The timing and the phasing of this conversion process will, however, be substantially different to the details originally given. This is linked to the City of York Council’s scheduling of the conversion process and the time required to complete the conversion work."

Mrs Savage explained that as Escrick School is now part of North Yorkshire County Council, its date to join the MAT is still to be confirmed.

The timetable for joining next year is: Archbishop of York's CE Junior, September 1; Danesgate, March 1; Dunnington CE Primary, February 1; Elvington CE Primary, June 1; Lord Deramore's Primary, November 1; Naburn CE Primary, October 1, St Oswald's CE Primary TBC and Wheldrake with Thorganby CE Primary May 1.

She said: "I will provide more information on the academy conversion later next term as this becomes available. Please be assured that all schools involved in the proposed South York Multi-Academy Trust are working collaboratively to shape both the values and the structure of our MAT and to root this in the successful partnership that has developed over the years."

Last December Mrs Savage wrote to parents to announce the decision following a consultation.