Salusbury Primary School has already found a partner and will seek to convert

A primary school in Queen’s Park has opted to adopt the Conservative government’s controversial academy status.

Salusbury Primary School (SPS), in Salusbury Road, has already found a partner and will seek to convert, the Times can reveal.

The move follows the announcement from central government that 400 poor performing primary schools across the country would have conversion forced upon them.

However, SPS are understood to have taken the decision themselves after a recent negative report from school standards body Ofsted.

SPS refused to comment when contacted by the Times but the news has attracted concern from teacher’s unions.

Academy conversion often attracts controversy as it results in schools breaking away from local authority control.

Schools which adopt the status receive an extra boost in finance from central government and have the power to set their own term dates and manage their finances.

Jean Roberts, secretary at Brent National Union of Teachers (NUT) said: “We are very concerned that schools that are in difficulty are being effectively forced into this.”

The latest Ofsted report, released in February this year, placed the school in ‘special measures’.

Mrs Roberts added: “I know of schools that have come out of difficulty and continued to succeed.

“It can be a very distressing time for staff, parents and children and governors.”

However, a spokesman for Brent Council said they were aware and were pleased with the choice of partner.

He added: “We want the best outcome for the school and its pupils and want the school even as an academy to be part of the Brent family of schools.”