Another town school is looking at the possibility of removing itself from Kent County Council’s control.

After numerous discussions, St Peter’s Catholic Primary has announced it wants to become an academy. Letters were sent home on June 23 informing parents about the intention to convert.

An open meeting for people to find out more information and ask questions was held on Monday.

If given the go ahead, it will join the Kent Catholic Schools Partnership and become a publicly funded state school, which receives funding directly from central government.

In the correspondence sent home, it says the governors feel there would be considerable benefits to the move.

These include “independence, but with support to continue to improve the school and hopefully maintain its ‘outstanding’ Ofsted status, the ability to build on the school’s individual strengths, additional freedoms and flexibilities for the long-term future and the preservation of the Catholic ethos and culture”.

It adds: “There are of course some negative perceptions about academies, many incited by misinformation and a lack of understanding.

“The governors are committed to ensuring that parents, stakeholders, staff and the community are fully informed about the proposal and its perceived benefits, so that any concerns can be fully addressed and you can be offered reassurance for any preconceptions that may exist.

“We wish to emphasise that the character, ethos and values of the school would remain unchanged should academy conversion take place and parents would see no noticeable difference to the way the school is run.”

Those wishing to submit their views about the proposal have until Friday to send an email to admin@st-peters-sittingbourne.kent.sch.uk

Alternatively, a letter can be dropped into the office or sent to St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, West Ridge, Sittingbourne ME10 1UJ.

Anyone who was unable to attend the meting but would like an opportunity to speak to someone face to face, is asked to call 01795 423479.