LIVERPOOL’S only grammar school could become an academy.

The Blue Coat School’s governing body is scheduled to meet on Wednesday this week to consider its future.

The 303-year-old school, located in Church Road, Wavertree, is one of the top performing on Merseyside,

A spokesman for the school insisted no decision had been made – but admitted discussions about the future of the school were underway.

The Blue Coat released a statement saying: “Our governing body continually considers and reviews all options relating to the future of our school and no decision regarding academy status has been made.”

A source at the school, which is fully selective, said rumours the school was applying for academy status were “the talk of the playground”, with some parents and pupils confused about what any potential changes could mean.

Academies are free from local authority control and can set their own curriculum which supporters say gives management, teachers and parents more freedom.

And because academy schools get their money directly from the government they can spend it how they like – based on their own priorities without any being top sliced at a local level for council-wide schemes.

Critics, such as the National Union of Teachers, say academies cream off money from local authority schools and there is no guarantee they will stick to existing pay structures. Unions have dubbed the scheme “the privatisation of schools” – however the switch can be appealing because the schools can qualify for start-up funding.