Councillors are calling for the academisation of Budmouth College to be delayed immediately.

A motion was brought forward by Cllr Alex Fuhrmann at a meeting of the full Weymouth Town Council on Wednesday night.

The motion called to stop ‘forced academisation’ by lobbying the government to remove the requirement that schools, which are rated inadequate by OFSTED, must become sponsored academies.

It also called for schools which have already been taken over by academy trusts to be given the opportunity to return to local authority control.

The motion finally called for the council to lobby the Local Government Association and Dorset Council, as well as MPs Richard Drax and Sir Oliver Letwin, to urge the Secretary of State to delay the academisation of Budmouth College until an Ofsted inspection.

During the discussion, parent Tara Moggeridge spoke accompanied by members of the Budmouth College Anti Academy Group.

She said: “We would like to ask all councillors to lobby Letwin, Drax and the Secretary of State before Friday if at all possible. Time is of the essence and we need to get on with this.”

She read a letter sent to the local unison rep by MP Sir Oliver Letwin.

In the letter, Sir Oliver said Sarah Parker, director of children’s services at Dorset Council, had expressed ‘severe misgivings’ about the suitability of Aspirations Academies Trust. He added that “we need to take these warnings very seriously” and that he will be meeting with Ms Parker to agree on a “course of action.”

Cllr Tia Roos said she speaks to parents often who are dealing with problems because of academisation.

She said: “I sit in meetings with children’s services where parents can’t get their children diagnosed with basic psychological problems.”

Cllr Roos alleged that this was because schools cannot or do not want to pay for the funding.

Cllr Kevin Brookes argued that although Budmouth had been having problems “it doesn’t mean the whole concept [of academisation] is wrong.”

Meanwhile, Mayor of Weymouth, Cllr Graham Winter, called academies ‘money making exercises’.

Cllr Ryan Hope said: “I will be supporting the motion this evening and am willing to work with anyone who is a dual hatter to put a similar motion to Dorset Council.

“I know time is running out. Dorset Council needs to lobby hard to prevent this (the academisation of Budmouth College).”

Principal of Budmouth College, David Herbert, said he won’t be commenting on the town council’s meeting or proposed motions.

He said: “My staff are focussed on supporting the learning of the students and we are making plans for next year to help make Budmouth even better and maintain our status as a school of choice.

“Ensuring that we provide an excellent curriculum, high quality teaching and a that we offer a great extra curricular experience is our priority.”

He said he was “incredibly proud” of the school’s students and staff this year.

Dorset Council asks for government's help to halt academisation

Dorset Council has asked for government help to suspend the academisation of Budmouth College in Weymouth.

Executive Director for Children at Dorset Council, Sarah Parker, has written to the secretary of state for education.

She states in the letter that the council has a number of concerns about the situation at Budmouth, including the financial viability of Aspirations Academies Trust and its track record at other schools in the area, such as Atlantic Academy Portland.

Ms Parker said the council has total confidence in the new principal, David Herbert, and wants to work with him to turn the school around.

“We share the concerns of parents, pupils and the local community," she said, "and want these to be addressed before this process goes any further.

“We are having ongoing conversations with Aspirations, Budmouth and the Regional Schools Commissioners about the best way forward.”

Sir Oliver Letwin, MP for West Dorset, said: “We need to take these warnings very seriously.

"I will be speaking with Sarah Parker in the next few days in order to agree on a course of action most likely to persuade ministerial colleagues to prompt a reconsideration of this proposal."