When this proposal first came up on the radar, there was an expectation that the local authority would circulate details of this proposal to all interested parties and organise meetings and forums, where the participants could find out more about what was involved, ask questions, comment and be part of a genuine consultation.

It is true that a consultation exercise was staged for Boundstone and Littlehampton in March, but, for King's Manor, pictured right, there was nothing, save for a terse announcement in May that the sponsor, the Woodard Corporation, had discontinued its involvement with King's Manor.

Then, in the twinkling of an eye, another sponsor pops out of the hat and we're on course for academy status once more.

However, there is still no attempt to brief parents, not just at King's Manor, but at the other schools which are starting to organise the transition of their pupils to King's Manor, a massive exercise considering the size of the intake for 2008-09.

Requests for more information via letter and email have met with little response, so a group of parents in Shoreham and Southwick got together to organise a public meeting to which all the relevant people were invited.

One by one, those in favour of the academy proposal sent their apologies – MP Tim Loughton; the sponsor, United Learning Trust; the King's Manor Community College governors, and West Sussex County Council, the authority responsible for co-ordinating academy status.

A well-attended meeting took place, but, without a member of West Sussex education department present, there was no one to address the concerns of the parents.

I'd just like to point out that after the May local elections, Mr Loughton, in a letter to the Herald, assured the electorate that his party would be more attentive and responsive to their concerns.

I think that the schooling arrangements for the children of the local population come high in the list of concerns, so is it not now time that the message was relayed to the local education authority, which should, after all, be more accountable as public servants?

Mr S. J. Guy
Shoreham and Southwick
Parents Group
Southview Road
Southwick

NOTE: All letters must include a name and address which can be withheld by request.

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