PARENTS in an East Sussex town are planning to take the county council to court over plans to turn their local school into an academy.

A revolt is brewing among staff, parents and the wider community around Peacehaven Community School, with many angry people at not being consulted over the potential change.

Parents have engaged a solicitor from progressive law firm Leigh Day and given notice of their intention to seek a potential judicial review over the academisation process.

Parent and campaigner Ashvini Webster said East Sussex County Council (ESCC) and governors “are simply not answering any of our questions and are hiding behind a very weak, out of date consultation with a board made up of non-local, unelected individuals.

“We simply want the right to make our own decision about our own community school, which will affect the lives of our own children as well as future generations.”

The legal challenge follows a public meeting called by the trustees of Peacehaven Co-operative Learning Trust, which says it has been sidelined by the council but still has key duties to the school’s learning community.

National Education Union regional officer Jack Tyler said: “Staff at the school have not been informed of the proposed transfer date of the 31st of August.
 
“It appears ESCC are attempting to push through the transfer during the summer holidays to avoid further opposition from parents and staff in the autumn term.
 
“We believe any such transfer would be open to legal challenge as there has been significant staff turnover since the 2017 consultation and we will be writing to ESCC to state this position.”