THE Government has sacked the governing body at Haydon Bridge High School in a bid to force through its conversion to an academy.

Ministers thought the interim executive board (IEB), appointed by Northumberland County Council after the school was placed in special measures two years ago, was obstructing the takeover by the Bright Tribe trust.

And today the regional schools commissioner (RSC) Janet Renou ( pictured ), acting on orders from the Department for Education, will install her own appointees to the IEB.

Ministers are irritated at the length of time it has taken to switch Haydon Bridge to academy status. Usually, the process takes no more than nine months.

With the new IEB in place, they now expect the Bright Tribe takeover to be completed no later than the start of the new school year in September.

Northumberland County Council’s director of education Andrew Johnson said: “The RSC has decided to impose her own interim executive board, appointed centrally.

“We hope this will prove successful and it will give the community some definite timescales for the future.”

The Department for Education did not elaborate on the make-up of the new IEB. A spokesman confirmed: “The regional schools commissioner is working with Haydon Bridge High School and Northumberland County Council to ensure a strong sponsor is secured for the school.”

Concerns over falling pupil numbers at Haydon Bridge prompted the county council to propose the school’s closure, and a merger with the newly established academy at Queen Elizabeth High School at Hexham.

But ministers rejected the plan, insisting an academy, led by Bright Tribe, remained the best option to restore the school’s fortunes.

Last year, Bright Tribe was given £1m by the Government to help fund its expansion into Northumberland, through the takeover of Haydon Bridge as well as the Haltwhistle Community Campus.