PARENTS of children attending IPACA have voiced their concerns about the shock resignation of the academy’s principal.

The Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy announced on Monday that principal Alison Appleyard had resigned, just two days before the new school year.

The academy has now received some backlash from parents who want to know the reason behind the founder principal’s resignation.

Lisa Hughes, who led a petition against the formation of IPACA in 2012, has two children returning to IPACA this year.

She said: “They say she’s moving on to further her career but she was only at the academy for two years. I think there is more behind her leaving and I hope they will be honest with us.”

The sudden resignation has prompted questions about plans for the new sixth form and the proposed new campus at Southwell Business Park.

John Tizard, chairman of governors, said: “Nothing at the school, in terms of development, will be affected. We have 40 students already enrolled for the sixth form which we are really pleased about and we hope that number may still go up.”

Shedding more light on the principal’s resignation, he said: “Alison indicated that she wanted to leave to pursue new opportunities and this was in the interest of both Alison and the academy.”

The resignation comes just weeks after IPACA announced they had plans in place to ask exam boards for GCSE papers to be reviewed and re-graded.

The academy expects the remarked papers will be returned within three weeks of the deadline for resubmissions, which is September 20.