It is depressing to see that the new Government is desperately trying to revive a previous failed policy – encouraging schools to opt out of the local authority community, known at the time as grant maintained status.

As then the Government is appealing to greed and competition to persuade schools to move to academy status, but the claimed financial advantages would come at the expense of other schools within the authority – grabbing an individual school’s share of the pot means that the total cost then has to be shared among a smaller group of schools.

Surely collaboration and working for the good of the wider community should be implicit in the ethos of every state school. Opting for a ‘dog eat dog’ philosophy is surely giving the wrong message to the next generation.

Opting out failed because the vast majority of schools were not interested. The benefits did not match the increased workload and responsibilities. Last time the governing body had to consult the parents of the school through a ballot. Many parents objected to the idea that a community asset, paid for by the community, should be handed over to a small group of governors who happened to be in control at that time.

The present government has done away with the vote of parents. Their views need not be considered. The governing body can decide to make this decision unilaterally, without consulting anyone, with its huge implications for the school, other schools and the wider community.

Angela Milroy, Bellefield Crescent, Trowbridge.