It's vital that we all rally to the aid of our local place of learning

On the front page of the Shoreham Herald, on February 14, one parent is quoted as saying that Boundstone has been failing for three decades '“ and, in the Lancing Herald, on February 21, there is a letter asking why teachers object to the school being turned around.

The truth is that Boundstone used to be a very successful school, achieving good examination results, and, in 1994, it was praised by Ofsted inspectors.

So, to say it has been failing for three decades is an exaggeration, but the decline that followed was dramatic, as is clear from the Ofsted reports of 1998 and 2002.

Even then, the sixth form continued to be successful and both of my daughters and their friends benefited from that, so I was shocked to read in the Herald (January 17) that the A-level results are now the worst in West Sussex.

Not very long ago, they were among the best.

My son is still at the college and I am sure that the teachers are as desperate as the parents for Boundstone to be "turned around".

But, on many occasions in the past, there have been promises made about a bright, new future and vows made to transform the school, only for it all to end in more tears '“ literally, in many cases.

The teachers cannot be blamed if they are dubious about yet another set of promises coming from the same people about yet another bright new dawn that is just over the horizon.

The community of Lancing and Sompting has a responsibility to try to get the best school we can for the children in this area, so the school hall should be packed to the rafters at 7pm on Tuesday, March 11, when there is a public meeting, open to all, to discuss the future of the school.

Hopefully, everyone will not only turn up, but also speak up.

Sylvia Knight

Old Salts Farm Road

Lancing