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AN AMBITIOUS Alresford school could become the first in Hampshire to adopt trust status.

Perins, a community sports college, said the move would make it more independent and allow it to improve on its current success.

Trust schools, which were established in 2006, are funded and maintained by local authorities but are also supported by a charitable foundation. This body, or trust, consists of the school and partners working together for the benefit of the school.

Perins is proposing to be one of only three schools in the country to establish links with the Rugby Football Union. It is also looking to build partnerships with University of Winchester, Chichester University, Sparsholt College and New Alresford Town Council.

Janice Bernard, head teacher at Perins, said the school had been considering the move over the last 12 months.

"We were anxious to build on our success and trust status seemed to be the logical next step. The local authority is one of our partners and they have been very supportive."

Mrs Bernard denied the plans to become a trust school were linked to a report in the Hampshire Chronicle about Perins moving from its Pound Hill address to a site in Sun Lane, on the fringes of Alresford.

She added: "As a school we're going to have more control over what we do and how we do it. In the long term it will mean the provision of recreation facilities in the town and the professional development of teachers."

Simon Cook, city councillor for the Alresford ward and a Perins governor, said: "It gives them Perins financial independence to allow them to develop the school in their own way, rather than as the local authority want them to.

"It gives certain resources to the school because they are outside the protective cloak of the local authority.

"I only have real experience of running a number of local authority sports centres who've moved into trust status and they've been able to expand without having to submit plans to do anything."

The secondary school has launched a consultation to gauge the opinion of parents, students, organisations and businesses in the town. Mrs Bernard said the initial feedback had been very positive.

It will culminate with a public meeting at the Pound Hill site on Wednesday, May 21, at 7pm. Mrs Bernard said governors would review the consultation responses in June, before making a final decision in September.

6:37am Monday 12th May 2008

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