A new board has been approved for a Catford school - with campaigners claiming it could pave the way for academy status.

Hundreds of pupils, parents and staff marched against the plans last month after Lewisham Council applied for an interim executive board for Sedgehill School, taking over from the current leadership team.

The council claims Sedgehill is not improving quickly enough, but campaigners say the move is a "hostile takeover", paving the way for Sedgehill to become an academy.

However, the Secretary of State for Education has now approved setting up the board, which will be led by the former executive head of the King Alfred Federation comprising Athelney and Elfrida schools.

She will be joined on the board by Bernie Borland, a former head teacher and Ofsted inspector, plus Robert Ellis, also formerly of Ofsted. Lewisham Council said members will not be paid for their roles and there will be a formal handover process.

Martin Powell-Davies from Lewisham NUT, who has already threatened strike action, called for the board to meet parents, students and staff.

He said: "The mass opposition of parents, staff and students has shown that the Sedgehill School community is a force to be reckoned with. The campaign has made absolutely sure that the council and the Department for Eduction knew that they had to tread carefully. Now the board should know that it needs to tread carefully too."