Community unites in outrage over regional schools commissioner's “two-day ultimatum” to respond to her plan to transfer academy to new trust

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to extend the consultation period around the imposed transfer of a “historic” state boarding school to a multi-academy trust, after being faced with a two-working-day “ultimatum” to respond to government plans.

Parents of children at Sexey’s School in Bruton, near Shepton Mallet in Somerset, were told only last week by the new regional schools commissioner for the area, Hannah Woodhouse, of plans for a meeting last Wednesday about its future. They were given until 9am today (Monday) to respond.

Woodhouse had “agreed”, said a letter from her office, that “Sexey’s School…should be transferred to another trust”, with the fast-growing Sherborne Area Schools Trust (SAST) having been chosen.

The letter was headlined as addressed to “Sexey’s School Academy”, although the school seems to brand itself as just “Sexey’s School”. The school’s origins go back to the 1600s, its name coming from Hugh Sexey, a local philanthropist who rose to become Auditor to King James I in 1603.

The letter set out how representatives from SAST would be at the meeting and would make a presentation.