If Whitton School is turned into an academy the word Whitton will be removed from its name, it has emerged.

Last week the statutory process to turn the Percy Road school and Hampton Community College (HCC) into academies – independent schools run by sponsors – began and documents name the academy planned for Whitton as Twickenham Academy.

If the move is agreed after the formal consultation, HCC and Whitton will close on August 31, 2010, and reopen a day later as Hampton Academy and Twickenham Academy, run by Swedish education firm Kunskapsskolan.

The borough’s education chief and town representatives have defended the move but Councillor Geoffrey Samuel, deputy leader of Richmond Conservatives, has described it as a “disastrous PR mistake”.

“The degree of pride in the borough is very high,” said Coun Samuel.

“Residents already think Whitton is the forgotten part of the borough.

“It looks as though they feel Whitton is an unpopular word or they have to drop the name of Whitton because it’s nasty.

“It is insulting to Whitton residents.”

The school sits in the Richmond Council ward of Heathfield and representatives of both that ward and neighbouring Whitton said they could understand why it has been done.

Councillors reported no constituents have yet questioned the move and they felt that if there was a good school with good facilities the name would not matter to parents.

Coun Bob King said: “The school is opposite Twickenham Cemetery so the name has validity.

“It has been difficult to establish Whitton School as the school for local parents.

“There will be a new team going in, in some respects, a new ethos and a different approach to education.”

Coun Liz Jaeger said: “A few people will regret losing the name but it’s a question of balance.

“Given the new start for the school these things often go better with a new name. Given the catchment area for the academy, Twickenham is a bigger name.”

Coun Malcolm Eady, Richmond Council cabinet member for education and children’s services, said there would be new buildings, new styles of teaching, new uniforms and he felt Twickenham Academy was an “excellent suggestion” for a new name.

“The proposed name was chosen after talks with school governors, staff and pupils, and we are keen to hear the views of residents during the current consultation process,” he added.

“Considering that the school’s location is in the Twickenham area, virtually in the shadow of the famous stadium, and the main specialism of the academy will be sport I am sure that very soon the school will gain a national reputation for excellence, and this choice of name will help put the academy on the map.”