Councillors will discuss plans for a school to become an academy behind closed doors next week.

Dorset County Council’s cabinet will look at proposals for the Sir John Colfox School to be granted academy status on Wednesday.

The school started plans to convert to an academy in 2012 in order to have more freedom over which subjects it teaches students – and held a long-running consultation with parents.

Ofsted inspectors judged the school as good at its last review in 2012.

Chairman of governors at the school, Martin Stones, told The Bridport News he did not want to comment before the meeting.

“At the moment I would rather not make any comments as a lot of effort has gone into this,” he said.

Academies are funded by the government rather than local authorities and do not have to follow the national curriculum. They can set pay and conditions for their staff and also change the length of their terms.

The Department for Education estimates conversion usually takes around six months following approval, when it will be run by an academy trust – which is a charitable company.

The school reopened in 1999 in new buildings under the government’s Private Finance Initiative (PFI). It is partly funded by a private contractor and is tied into an agreement until 2029 – something that could delay conversion to an academy.

Cllr Ron Coastworth, who represents the Bride Valley ward on Dorset County Council and was also a teacher at the original Sir John Colfox School, said: “I see the school becoming an academy as inevitable. There are pressures from the government for all schools to become academies – so this isn’t entirely surprising at all.

“It’s a natural development and so many schools in Dorset have become academies or are in the process of doing so.

“I don’t think the parents or pupils will notice any changes if I am being honest. It’s the best way forward and it will certainly make it more flexible for the staff to teach a better curriculum to pupils.”

Cllr Toni Coombs, cabinet member for education at Dorset County Council, said: “I’m not prepared to comment at this time as it’s a private matter.

“It is a confidential document that will be discussed so there’s nothing really I can say before the meeting.”