FARINGDON’S secondary, junior and infants’ schools have been given Government’s go-ahead to convert into a single academy.

Under plans drawn up by the three schools, they would keep their existing names, headteachers and uniforms, but come under a single governing body funded directly from central Government.

The Department for Education has approved the principle, and public consultation is ongoing.

Faringdon Community College, Faringdon Junior School and Faringdon Infants’ School will convert to academy status on April 1, leaving Oxfordshire County Council’s control.

College business manager John Banbrook, who is overseeing the transition, said: “The three schools will keep their identities and their three headteachers.

“But rather than being run by three separate governing bodies, there will be a single governance structure.”

Mr Banbrook said the decision to convert was more about securing extra freedoms for the schools than financial gain.

He said: “Each school has some best practice and the idea is to share that, and ensure smoother transition between education phases.”

Faringdon Community College is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and is one of the county’s top performing schools.

The junior and infant schools are both rated satisfactory.

The county council has warned that the academies programme could leave it £24m out of pocket because each time a school leaves council control, County Hall loses another slice of its dedicated schools grant.