The school is looking to take new laws from the coalition Government that would see it become an academy by September.
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This will make it independent of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and let is set admissions rules, what is taught, pay and conditions and school hours.
The Station Road school is seeking views on its plans, which have been opposed by the council.
In a letter to parents it said: “As an academy, we will be in a position to put in place our own admission arrangements, and decide which pupils should be offered places in accordance with those arrangements.
“The academy will still be bound by the national Admissions Code, and Admissions Appeals Code."
The council’s admissions code asks parents to list up to five schools in priority order.
If a school is over-subscribed then places will be allocated in this priority order: looked after children, those with ‘exceptional circumstances’ that can only be met by that school, children in its catchment area, those with siblings at the school and those closest to the school, measured in a straight line from their home.
It said the school has yet to sign an agreement with the Government finalising the move. It can apply as it has been rated outstanding by inspectors.
The letter said: “An academy is essentially an independent school which is funded by the state.
“It is independent of the local authority and receives its funding direct from central government.”
It said the school would get more funding as the council holds some back at present and it would not have to teach the National Curriculum.
It said that being able to set staff terms, meaning it can ‘can provide staff with better pay and conditions than previously’.
The letter said it ‘does not intend…in the foreseeable’ future to change existing pay and conditions.
It said: “Ultimately, we wish to retain our existing excellent staff and will do everything we can to ensure that we continue to offer our staff the best pay and conditions that we can.”
Academies can set up businesses, it says. The letter says it will be able to buy services cheaper than the council.
“The Governing Body do not consider that the staff and pupils will suffer any disadvantages if the school becomes an Academy.”
The Academies Bill has been passed. The letter said: “This will then enable Arden to become an Academy on 1st September 2010.”
It said: “We want to continue to be an outstanding school. We therefore do not intend to change Arden except in ways which we think will improve the school even more.
“For students, it is unlikely that they will see much, if any, change in their day to day school lives.
“Academies do have the power to vary their curriculum and vary the length of the school day, however, we do not intend to take any such steps at this stage and would engage with parents/carers, staff and students if we did ever intend to make such changes in the future.”
The school held an hour-long drop in session on July 22.
The plan has proved controversial. This month the council – under Labour and Liberal Democrat control since May 6 – passed a motion opposing the new policy. Tories opposed the motion.
This said: “Solihull Council is concerned about the recent proposals for academies and free schools and the effects these will have on the excellent provision that currently exists in the Borough.
“It is proposed that the Council writes to the Secretary of State, the Local Authority Leaders Board and the two MPs to express its deep concerns and to request that serious and careful consideration be given to the impact the proposals will have for every child in the Borough bearing in mind the "Every Child Matters" agenda."
This was backed by The Green Party, which has one councillor on the 51-seat authority.
It said: “Academies can see principals paid in excess of £120,000 whilst there is a high turnover of valued and committed staff lower down the pay scale as they are invited to re-apply for their jobs on different pay scales.”
“The Green Party has always spoken in favour of school governing bodies having greater freedom but this does not have to involve putting the running of the school into the hands of a private sponsor and taking power away from teachers and parents who have very little representation on the governing bodies of academies.
“Time and time again, the question has been asked why the freedoms and funding given to academy schools cannot be given without the strings attached. No answer has been given.”
Views can be made by August 3 to Mrs S McRobinson, Clerk to Governors, Arden School, Station Road, Knowle, Solihull, B93 0PT or academyproposal@arden.solihull.sch.uk.
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