STAFF at a Kenton school have voted overwhelmingly against pursuing academy status sparking calls for a consultation with parents.

Around 70 per cent of employees who took part in a secret ballot at Claremont High School, in Claremont Avenue, said they opposed the proposals.

Hank Roberts, junior vice-president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), helped push for the secret ballot and said he would oppose any move to pursue academy status without seeking parents' views.

He said: “It would be terrible, if you have got a majority of staff and parents against it what's that going to do to the school?”

School managers say all information gathered during the consultation, including the ballot and face-to-face meetings with parents, will be taken into account but say it will be the governors who make the final decision.

Claremont is able to pursue the Government's fast track scheme because it was rated "outstanding" in its last Ofsted inspection.

Academy status would see the school's budget increased and make it more independent from Brent Council, giving it greater control over the curriculum, pay and admissions criteria.

But critics say it would lead to less scrutiny, with no need to consult the community when changing admissions criteria or terms and conditions for staff.

Mr Roberts heaped criticism on the system for allowing heads to receive unlimited pay and bonuses as well as allowing private money into state education.

He said Michael Gove wanted to privatise education and added: “Staff and parents must not just have their say, they must act to ensure democracy counts.”

A statement from the school's management said: “Like all schools (and local authorities) Claremont High School faces the very real issue of reductions in its income.

“When a school like Claremont is affected by such cuts there is a real danger that staffing levels will be affected especially when they are generous to begin with.

“The School Leadership has simply made all staff aware of this potentially difficult situation as part of its consultation and information sharing.”