PROTESTERS braved the wind and rain to stage a demonstration outside of Darwen and Rossendale MP Jake Berry’s office in Railway Road on Saturday against the decision to turn Darwen Vale High School into an academy.

The government announced that it would target Darwen Vale High School to become an academy after an Ofsted report in June stated that the school ‘required improvement’.

A petition was launched against the decision by prospective parliamentary candidate for Darwen Will Straw and rapidly gained over 1,000 signatures.