I UNDERSTAND that South Gloucestershire and Stroud College is to take over the running of Coleford’s Lakers school and St Anthony’s primary in Cinderford.

I really can’t understand how this will be a good move for either school.

The experience with the old Double View or Heywood school becoming an academy doesn’t bode well for these schools and the realisation that the so-called sponsor becomes the owner of the school buildings and land is frightening.

What happened to local accountability or even democracy?

This sponsor has no connection with the Forest and to my mind is only interested in expanding its portfolio of assets in order to provide even larger salaries for the CEO and management team.

I would like to know what academy status will give these schools that they couldn’t get from the county council?

St Anthony’s is a special case because it used to be a private school and then a free school, but what’s wrong with it becoming an ordinary primary school like any other in the Forest?

As for Lakers, I would say that it is up to the people of Coleford who should be properly consulted about what should happen to their only comprehensive school, its buildings and its land.

– Peter Stanway, Pope’s Hill.