More than 50 parents picketed a Bradford secondary school to call for it to be turned into a city academy.

The British Edutrust Foundation wants to turn Rhodesway School into an independent secondary funded by the Department for Education and Skills.

But 97 per cent of teachers, administration and kitchen staff at the Allerton school signed a petition calling for it to remain under local authority control.

Now a group of parents have hit back and are calling for the school to receive academy status as soon as possible. They have formed the Rhodesway Parents' Action Group (RPAG).

Spokesman Samima Ashraf, whose 14-year-old son attends Rhodesway, said: "We have formed the RPAG to ensure that our interests and those of our children come first, that the school is made accountable for its actions and to demand new investment into our school through the academy programme."

The group says it has serious concerns over accountability to parents, inadequate parental representation and a high level of supply teachers.

Executive head teacher Nigel Jepson said: "This is the first time that any such wider discontent has come to the notice of the school."

History teacher Chris Cheetham, who organised the petition against academy status, said parents were welcome to contact.

"The school has just come out of special measures and is one of the top 200 most improved in the country," he said.

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