LAKERS School in Coleford will become an academy with South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS) – which already runs Forest High School in Cinderford – as its ‘preferred’ sponsor.

There has been much speculation about the future of the school since it was put into special measures in December following a poor Ofsted report.

SGS last week revealed that it had been asked by the Regional Schools’ Commissioner for the South West (RSC), Sir David Carter, to become the preferred sponsor for Lakers.

The commissioner has been looking for a sponsor since December and the decision to ask SGS to be preferred sponsor was made by the Regional Schools Commissioners’ headteachers board which considers such matters.

The college and school were informed of the decision a fortnight ago.

Lakers’ head John O’Reilly said there would be a consultation period about the move, which would include parents, and could take up to six months.

Chief executive of the SGS Trust, Kevin Hamblin, said they could put together a ‘Forest partnership’ of schools.

Mr O’Reilly said: “We have been waiting  for  the outcome of the RSC’s recommendation of a sponsor for the  school.

“The interim executive board of governors (IEB)  and I  are looking forward to discussing the opportunity with SGS Academy Trust.

“There will be a period of consultation with parents and stakeholders before the SGS Academy Trust make a decision to proceed with the sponsorship, or not.

“This may may take up to six months and while this is being worked through, we will remain focussed on the education of  the  children in our care.”

Mr Hamblin said: “We believe  that  with the  expertise and  support available from the trust,  there would be  considerable benefits if  both  schools worked together  as one entity,  enabling  staff  to share  best practice  and  allowing us to look at how we  create economies of scale  but still retain the identity of each school.

“I am delighted that the RSC has agreed with our plan and has shown confidence in the trust to work with a number of schools.

“We will have a lot  of hard work ahead of us, but  with the support of  school leaders,  staff and parents  I  am  confident that we will turn around the fortunes of these  schools  within  Forest partnership.”