Parents were protesting once again about plans to turn a Weymouth school into an academy.

The Echo has reported on job losses at Budmouth, as support staff at the school will be trimmed down ahead of when Aspirations Academies Trust takes over in September.

In response to this news, parents protested outside Budmouth on Friday, May 10.

The organiser of the protest said: "I chose this school for my son because it wasn't an academy. I have grave concerns about the SEND provision with teaching assistants being cut and off-rolling of students. Then there is the issue with who is going to be accountable. It's all about profits and money going into the academy's pockets instead of to the school itself to buy books and stationary."

Paul Kimber said: "We are here today to show our concern about Budmouth College going over to academy status.

"We believe that this school should remain in the public sector. It is a back door privatisation.

"Our kids, in this day and age, deserve the absolute best education possible and this is not what academies offer.

"The teachers here have all been top class. We reject any cuts or cut backs done on financial grounds."

Sara Greenhalf, a parent at the school, said: "My biggest concern would be, if something were to happen that I am not happy with or something is not right with my son's education, there is no accountability.

"Before, if something was wrong you could go to the Local Education Authority. Now, if you complain to an academy nothing gets done. There is no accountability.

"I am also worried about the national curriculum, which was a great thing they brought in so that al children, no matter what school they were at, would be taught the same thing.

"Academies don't have to follow the national curriculum. Years were spent fighting to get one and now academies can just do what they want."

Gillian Pearson, a retired teacher, said: "This whole policy of academisation is detrimental to our children. Money comes out of the public's purse and into the private sector's pockets and it is all at a detriment to our children. As a former teacher I have always opposed academies."

David Herbert, the incoming headteacher of Budmouth, said: "There was a small group of peaceful anti academy protesters outside of the College on Friday afternoon.

"Some of them were parents but many others were lending their support to the wider anti-academy cause. They all engaged very positively with staff and students who were leaving the site.

"We have held two very positive meetings at the College to discuss the process of Budmouth becoming an academy. One meeting was for current parents and the other was for prospective parents and both were very well attended.

"It was nice to be able to share some exciting future plans about the curriculum and pastoral systems. Whilst it is clear that academisation will always draw strong views, the overriding sense of feedback from our parents is that it is time to move forward and not back."

Some protestors will also be attending the Dorset Council meeting on Thursday, May 16.