St Edward’s College in West Derby announced plans to withdraw from local authority control and set their own budget in November. But members of the NASUWT teaching union, which represents most of the teachers at the secondary school, have warned the plan could mean cuts in pay and conditions for staff, possible redundancies and a long term budget timebomb as it will make buying in services more expensive.

NASUWT executive member Mick Burrows explained: “We want to explain to the parents that perhaps it isn’t all a bed of roses and perhaps they should start asking some serious questions about it. There is no measurable evidence it improves a child’s education, and when you have an outstanding school already why try to fix it?”

A statement from the school said the union’s allegations were contrary to written assurances about job security, staff pay and conditions that had already been made and that parents had been broadly supportive of the Academy move.

The statement went on to say: “While the college appreciates the NASUWT has well publicised and significant political differences with the Government, we are at a complete loss as to understand why such obviously untrue and misleading statements have been made.”