A LEADING school is hoping to become the first in the region to win new self-governing status.

Governors at Ripon College, North Yorkshire, have voted to adopt Foundation Status from next April, which means they will take control of their staff's pay, own the premises and be in charge of admissions policy.

The school currently has "community status" where its central services are managed by North Yorkshire Local Education Authority.

Under Foundation Status, which has replaced the old Grant Maintained Schools, the governors will directly employ staff. The governors believe it will allow the school to focus on priorities relevant to Ripon rather than the county.

College principal Paul Lowery welcomed their decision. "It will help the college develop its own sense of identity as the learning centre of Ripon."

He said the only other school to secure Foundation Status was in the South, and they were looking forward to possibly becoming the first school in the North to opt out of local authority control. The school was awarded specialist technology college status in September last year.

Mr Lowery said: "I think the key is in respect of non-teaching staff because of our community college status. We will be able to establish our own pay and conditions for those staff and have more flexible contracts.

"We're also trying to develop the premises so that we are providing a good service to the local community."

But he said there were no plans to change the school's admissions policy or to select the ten per cent it is entitled to as a technology college.

"Albeit, I think we will have to keep an eye on it because it is a specialist school," he added.

Annette Beckwith, chairwoman of the governors, said: "This new status awards us greater independence. It is a natural extension to the college's national specialist status and enhanced community role."

The formal consultation will continue until September 21, after which the governors will seek to endorse the decision before seeking an April 2002 start