Plans to close the secondary school and create an academy for 900 pupils moved a step closer when, on Tuesday (March 16), education bosses backed the move.

The decision was made not at a cabinet meeting of East Sussex County Council as expected, but at a meeting of the lead member for children's services, as the education authority is trying to make their bid for funding before the forthcoming general election is called.
The meeting heard that the council did not receive a single response to a six-week consultation which education chiefs described as 'fairly unusual'.

If the government gives the go ahead, pupils will move into new school buildings on the existing site in 2013.
Cllr David Elkin (Con), who left the meeting when the decision was made as he is expected to be a governor of the new academy, said, "This is a real milestone in this project. We can get really excited about the changes in education this could mean for the town."

The Department for Schools Children, Education and Families says they expect any change in government would not affect the continuation of the academy programme.