WILL Straw, prospective parliamentary candidate for Labour in Darwen at the 2015 General Election, has spoken of his concerns for the future of Darwen Vale High School.

As reported in the Lancashire Telegraph this week, the school is set to be forced by the Government to become an academy.

Governors this week rejected the Department for Education’s preferred sponsor, The Aldridge Foundation, and Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Kate Hollern said the council would also refuse to accept it.

Writing on his blog, Mr Straw said: “While there is no doubt that the Aldridge Foundation has made a major difference in raising standards at DACA, we need to be very careful before we restrict the choice of parents in Darwen by having both schools run by the same foundation.

“Fiona Jack has done a brilliant job in her short time at the school in raising standards.

“At the prizegiving last week she said the school was on course for a 20 per cent improvement in results over two years.

“It is therefore disappointing that a decision looks like it has been forced upon the school rather than giving staff, parents and pupils an opportunity to have their say.

“This kind of political interference from London will not do the school or its pupils any good.

“The positive atmosphere which was so evident last week risks being undermined unless time is taken to consider what is best for the school. Rather than rushing to a political decision, time should be given for other options.”