EMOTIONS were running high at the packed first of three consultation meetings at Droitwich Spa High School on Monday evening.

Parents from Witton Middle School interrupted the presentation being given by headteacher Natalie Waters almost immediately to voice their concerns over the proposals being put forward to introduce a year seven intake at the school.

Parents questioned the transparency of the process, asking who the school’s governors were accountable to now that the school was no longer under the umbrella of the local education authority.

One parent said: “You have to give us some independent reassurance. It’s not acceptable to not have a transparent process.”

Following the public consultation, on March 4 school governors will decide whether to make an application for the introduction of year seven at the school and apply to the Education Funding Agency, which then adds its views. The Regional Schools Commissioner then looks at the proposal and decides if it’s a good idea.

Parents also raised concerns over the impact the change could potentially have on other schools in the Droitwich educational pyramid, something which the high school has no responsibility to take into account.

Headteacher Natalie Waters said: “I’m expecting a response to our consultation from the local authority and I’m expecting them to have thought through what happens to the rest of the pyramid.

“We have a duty we understand to the local community, but the LEA need to look at the other schools in the area and decide how they want to move ahead. It’s for the local authority to respond to this consultation.”

One parent asked: “If it was approved would children still have the choice of staying in the middle school system?”

Mrs Waters responded: “My sense is that that wouldn’t be a good thing. We need to decide.”

Another parent added: “ You’re not changing to two tier. You’re still three tier, but you’re leaving a three tier system in disarray. They’re state schools which the local authority have got a responsibility to provide. The middle schools and first schools are still going to exist.”

The school cited the upcoming changes in the GCSE system for the suggested speed of the proposals, which if they go ahead, would see year seven pupils joining the school in the September 2016 intake.

The school also suggested that the change would offer parents the choice to educate their children differently.

A parent voiced a popular concern asking: “What is the choice? You’re the only school in the area.”

Another added: “I feel as a parent bullied. I’ve got no options.”

Representatives from Witton Middle School also attended the meeting, and they were vocal in their concerns about the lack of communication between schools in the pyramid, saying that Mrs Waters had said at an earlier meeting that there was no intention to make changes.

One said: “All of us, primary, secondary and middle school should be all working together. I don’t understand why that isn’t happening already.”

Two further meetings are taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings with parents from Westacre Middle School and other stakeholders from the community. Anyone wishing to take part in the consultation is asked to write to Natalie Waters at Droitwich Spa High School or email

agerangeconsultation@droitwichspahigh.worcs.sch.uk.