IT’S been a landmark week for a Basingstoke secondary school which has now become an academy.

Costello Technology College is the latest local school to convert, and the change in status on July 1 has come with a change in name to The Costello School.

The Gazette reported in March that governors of the school, in Crossborough Hill, were consulting on it becoming an academy. Parents were asked for their views on the possible move before a decision was made.

The school has been able to convert to an independent academy because of its good performance during the last three years. Schools which do not perform as well have to join an academy trust.

The move for Costello, which has 1,068 pupils, means it will no longer be under the control of the local education authority (LEA), Hampshire County Council.

A briefing paper issued for parents before the move, said the LEA is given £3,635 from the Department for Education to fund each pupil, of which it is estimated that the council keeps £211 to fund central overhead costs. As an academy, the full £3,635 will be paid directly to the school.

However, the school will have additional admin costs to pay now it has converted. The paper listed the pros and cons of converting.

Referring to the possible positives, it said: “It (academy status) provides control of extra funding at a time when the college is going to experience serious cuts. Such cuts risk undermining our provision, morale and ethos.”

Losing the “security of being part of Hampshire County Council” was listed as a potential risk of becoming an academy.

The school will have a change of uniform, keeping its burgundy colour, but adding a new logo incorporating a shield.

Headteacher Julia Mortimore told The Gazette: “We have been through extensive consultation. We made the decision that the way forward for the college is to convert to an academy. It’s very exciting. It will give the college more opportunities.”

She added: “Becoming an academy gives us more flexibility to maintain the curriculum to suit the students, for us to be able to personalise our curriculum in the coming years.”

Mrs Mortimore said parents were mostly positive about the move, adding: “We see it as the next move for the college, taking us further forward and taking it as an opportunity to rebrand ourselves.”

The school has also developed a new motto as part of the conversion, which is “high aspirations and excellence for all.”