£2million Littlehampton Academy cut

Parents are also up in arms at the number of teachers – around 20, many of whom have years of experience, leaving the school at the end of this term.

Littlehampton Community School became Littlehampton Academy in 2008, after a deal was signed between West Sussex County Council and Woodard Schools.

Part of the agreement was that £2million, from the council and Woodard, be put into an endowment, and the interest earned used by the school for “non-curricular” purposes, such as subsiding trips for children from poorer families.

Changes in government policy on academies, though, means the money no longer has to be put aside, and so it is not.

Martin White, a governor at the school, said: “When we signed up to become an academy, we were promised this money, this investment.

“We are told the money is going somewhere more deserving.

“But this is a deprived area, we need it.”

One parent of a year-10 pupil, who asked not to be named, said there had been lots of promises when the school became an academy, but they were not being kept.

“It seems we were told this and that would happen if the school was an academy.

“But if it is so good, why is everyone leaving?

“I know people get promoted and move on, but some of the very best teachers are leaving.

“It is going to impact on my daughter’s education, and I am not the only one who’s worried about it.”

Mr White pointed out many of those leaving were retiring after long stints at Littlehampton.

Head teacher Steve Jewell said: “For the last two years, staffing has been particularly stable, so it is no surprise that this year there are more staff moving on due to career moves, relocation or retirement.

“We have not been able to extend the contracts of some of our temporary staff.”

At the time of going to press, Woodard Academies Trust was unavailable to comment.

In a letter to governors, chairman of the trust, Jan Richardson, said: “It would seem inequitable to tie up a large sum of money in an endowment on which only the interest could be drawn down.

“The trust believe the money would be better deployed in enabling the trust to build up an internal capacity to deliver more Woodard Academy projects, which would ultimately directly benefit more children than via an endowment.”

A spokesman for the county council said it was in talks with Woodard and the Department for Education about the implications of the changed.