A TOP performing Liverpool secondary school could become an Academy by spring, in a bid to free itself from “over-regulation”.

The Daily Post can reveal St Edward’s College, in Sandfield Park, West Derby, is on the verge of the status change, having accepted a government offer in May which invited outstanding schools to apply for Academy conversion.

And after winning support from trustees, governors and positive feedback from parents, the school – rated outstanding in three consecutive Ofsted inspections – is now pressing ahead with conversion to an Academy, which could possibly become a reality as early as spring.

Academies opt out of local authority control, meaning they get funding directly from the Government and can set their own curriculum, pay and conditions and prioritise funding in areas they see fit.

Last night, principal of the over-subscribed school, John Waszek, stressed the plan could still be abandoned if scrutiny of the status change threw up anything that would “adversely effect” the school.

But he said the driving force behind the conversion was the freedom it would bring to the secondary which, in different guises, dates back to 1853.

“We have spent five months investigating this and we believe the biggest benefits are in terms of flexibility.