Buck up, college!

Virtually all the pupils are from ethnic minority families, only four in ten have English as their first language, and half of them qualify for free school meals.

Around 20 per cent of the children are from families of refugees or asylum seekers.

In 2009 nearly half the school’s pupils failed to attain five or more GCSE’s, including English and maths, at grades A* to C.

The proportion who did, 56 per cent – lies just above the national average of 47 per cent.

This was classed as a failing school, but our own Bognor Regis Community College with a pass rate of only 38 per cent was much worse.

(I have since found out the pass rate for last year was only 29 per cent)

We were assured from the headmaster the new Regis School, supposedly one of the best in Europe, would make a major difference to success and quality of education in Bognor Regis.

A year has passed and the results are now out with a lowly pass rate of only 38 per cent.

Other deprived towns achieve much better results such as Leicester 52 per cent, Stockton 58 per cent and even a similar seaside town Redcar 55 per cent.

You cannot blame the poor pass rate which, remains little changed from last year, on the new £33m school building which must have made a significant improvement to the quality of the environment for studying.

Therefore some radical changes need to be made to the leadership and management and to the board of governors to stop the rot and prevent this school degenerating into special measures.

Our local MP Nick Gibb, who is minister for Schools, must find the results at this school a major embarrassment to him.

Derek Trotman,

Ellasdale Road, Bognor Regis