AROUND 400 people have signed a petition to stop Portland children attending school on the other side of the island.

Parents with youngsters at Brackenbury infant and Underhill junior schools in Fortuneswell were told changes at the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy (IPACA) will see pupils aged 7+ go to school at the proposed Southwell Business Park site.

Under original plans, pupils would have gone to school in new buildings nearer their homes at the Chesil Cove Federation site at Osprey Quay.

Parents had been told the Osprey Quay site would only accommodate pupils from reception to Year 3.

Southwell Business Park was intended to accommodate the Royal Manor Arts College and pupils from Grove Infant School and Southwell Primary School.

The plans to establish the main academy at Southwell will be considered in the new year by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

Mum and Parent Teacher Association member Lisa Hughes said: “We’re not against the academy at all, just this one decision.

“We’re hoping that they will reverse it. We’ve got more than 400 signatures, it’s not just one person unhappy, that’s a lot of people that this affects.”

IPACA principal Alison Appleyard has written to Mrs Hughes in an attempt to address concerns, and she has also sent out a general letter to parents outlining the facts and urging them to support the planning application.

But this has caused a backlash amongst the parents, who described it as scaremongering them into giving the academy their support.

Mother Sarah-Jo Boyle said: “I find it appalling that they scaremonger parents into voting in favour of the plans, suggesting that existing buildings are poorly maintained, and that any future for our children’s education is based solely on the success of their planning application.”

She added: “Planning approval should be on merit, not because parents are being encouraged to support it or their children suffer the consequences.”

Academy Vision To Keep Youngsters Together

IPACA principal Alison Appleyard, pictured right, has written to Mrs Hughes in an attempt to address concerns, stating the vision of the academy was to ‘keep Portland students together.’ She said she was happy to arrange meetings with parents to discuss issues.

In her general letter to parents she outlined the main reasons for the relocation – including that £15m of government funding is earmarked for the project and cannot be spent elsewhere.

It also told parents: ‘Sadly, our current buildings are in a deteriorating condition.

‘We do not have funding for any further maintenance, major repair or improvement of the existing deteriorating school buildings beyond this current school year.’ She said if the Southwell scheme didn’t get planning permission the academy would have to plan further re-organisation across existing sites as a temporary measure. She added: ‘If you would like your children to enjoy the opportunities the academy will deliver at Southwell Park – opportunities that many other children take for granted – it is very important that you let Weymouth and Portland Borough Council know you support the planning application.’