WATCH: Sky's no limit for new Wednesfield academy

Wednesfield High School has converted to academy status in a move that senior leaders say will help to drive up standards following a disappointing Ofsted report.

The school on Lichfield Road is now known as Wednesfield High Specialist Engineering Academy.

It is part of the multi-academy trust Education Central, which is run by The University of Wolverhampton.

The trust was represented at the opening ceremony by vice chancellor Professor Geoff Layer and Sir Geoff Hampton, both from the university.

Headteacher Claire Gilbert said the school spent two years researching the possibility of becoming an academy before the DfE suggested conversion after the school was told it required improvement after a visit from Ofsted inspectors.

The education watchdog deemed the school to be one that was capable of improving rapidly with very little intervention.

The school's governing body will remain in place following the conversion.

One of the Governors, Ken Purchase, said he expected the school's recent improvements to continue under academy status.

He said: "We all want the school to succeed and its students to do well.

"There are a lot of good things going on here which I expect to continue. What is important is the commitment of the excellent teachers and staff at the school, which will continue under of academy status."

Under its new status students have been issued with a new badge and minor changes have been made to lesson timetables.

The school day has been extended by around 15 minutes, although senior leaders say this change would have gone ahead regardless of academy conversion.

Smestow School in Windmill Crescent has also become an academy under the Education Central umbrella.

Education Central is looking to sponsor up to 25 schools in and around Wolverhampton.

Half of the city's 20 secondary schools now have academy status.