A total of 134 schools applied for the second intake, including schools in Boyup Brook and Bridgetown.

Acting principal Liz Burkett said the move would be a huge plus for the school and the Donnybrook community.

The next six months would see the school community undergo an intensive process of training and workshops on the processes they will be able to follow as an IPS.

“We’ll be seeing the increased autonomy we’ll be able to access,” Ms Burkett said.

“It allows our entire school community to be much more flexible with our budgeting system, our resources and our staff selection, to suit the kids of Donnybrook.”

The IPS system will allow the school to work with the community to suit the direction parents, the business community, staff and students wish to take, she said.

“We’ll be able to work with them as to the direction of the school which suits our kids’ needs,” Ms Burkett said.

“During the next six months, I can see a lot of collaboration happening with other IPSs in the Bunbury district. This includes the sharing of resource — something that has been limited in the past.

“Since the announcement on Tuesday, every member of the staff, school council or P and C I’ve spoken to has been over the moon,” Ms Burkett said.

“Peter Fitzgerald and all the staff, school council and P and C need to be congratulated because of the enormous amount of effort that went into the application, it was a huge team effort of consultation and negotiation.

“The next six months will be a huge learning curve for all stakeholders, and we’re all looking forward to opening as an IPS in 2011.”

Other schools will have the opportunity to express their interest in becoming an Independent Public School in a third intake to begin in 2012.