King Alfred's Community and Sports College will become Oxfordshire's first foundation school.

Governors at the 1,700-pupil school in Wantage have this week voted to break away from the county and take control of its own admissions policy and ownership of its three sites.

The school, which operates from the centre of Wantage and two other sites on the east and west sides of the town, will take the step on January 1, when it will also formally become the employer of its staff.

It will join 500 foundation schools nationally with a new governing body.

In addition it will include more representatives of the parent body and the community while holding charitable status.

Potentially it would enable the school to sell some of its land and invest in a large single site.

Over the past six months parents have been consulted on the proposal and its governors decided on Monday that the ambitious scheme should go ahead.

College principal Nick Young said he was enthusiastic.

He said: "King Alfred's is a good school which is rapidly improving. I was vice-principal here in 1984 at the time of the original amalgamation and, 22 years later, the time has come to organise King Alfred's in a new way to provide the best educational opportunities for young people in our community.

"We believe that owning our buildings and premises will help us to control our future and improve further.

"Exam results have been improving year on year and we want to accelerate that process."

Peter Thompson, the college's business manager, said the major change involved creating a new constitution for the governing body, although details had yet to be agreed.

There would be more representation from parents and from the local community.

He said: "As a community school, the money will still come from Oxfordshire County Council and there will be an ongoing close relationship between the LEA and the school. It's as much a learning curve for them as it is for us."

The freehold of the east and west sites are held by the county council, while the centre site's freehold is held by the King Alfred's Educational Charity.

"We want to make it clear that this is about education, and not land or buildings." said Mr Thompson "There has been very little opposition, although some people did talk about having two separate schools.

"Foundation status is to preserve the ability and the right to provide the best level of education to our young people in the community.

"Other schools do not have the control of their destiny, but our focus only is to improve education in this area."

"We are aware the governing body at King Alfred's School is pursuing Foundation Status."

Michael Waine, Oxfordshire's cabinet member for school improvement, said: "Foundation status enables schools to become more independent.

"They own their own assets, are the direct employers of staff and responsible for their own admissions.

"Running costs of foundation schools are on the same basis as at any state school delivered via the county council, which believes in a diverse, high performing education system and real choice.

"At the same time, the council has a responsibility to promote the best interests of the whole family of schools in Oxfordshire and we would want the governing body to work closely with us on providing the right options for future secondary schooling in the local area.

"The council will continue to take the strategic lead on all school organisation matters."