DARTMOUTH Academy principal Nick Hindmarsh has given a positive message to parents as preparations for a new sponsor continue.

Mr Hindmarsh was speaking at a public meeting organised to reassure the community after the Academy lost its national sponsor E-Act.

He told the meeting on Monday that negotiations with potential new sponsors – all based in Devon – were continuing and an announcement is likely to be made before the end of term.

And he reiterated his message that the change would not affect the rate of improvement seen in Dartmouth over the last few years, nor a reduction in funding for the Academy.

In fact, E-Act was paid £180,000 a year by the academy and this figure was actually likely to be lower with a new sponsor, meaning there will be more funding for frontline services in future, he said.

Mr Hindmarsh said the academy was required by law to have a sponsor and the process of choosing a new one would be quick.

However, he stressed the way the academy worked with its new sponsor would be decided over a number of months, so that the best decisions would be made for the good of the academy's children in the long term.

He told parents an Ofsted inspection may happen in the coming months to give an accurate and up-to-date picture of the academy's position as a new sponsor comes in.

Mr Hindmarsh said: 'An academy sponsor fulfils the overseeing role that a local authority used to. It makes sure the academy is performing all its roles well and is improving all the time, and does not give funding to the Academy.

'A sponsor is tasked to ensure that an academy is looking after the needs of its children through its education schemes, child protection policies, financial regulation and development plans.

'This turbulent week must have caused huge amounts of worry and uncertainty for our children, parents and staff, but the outlook is good, and the academy will be stronger because of it.

'We hope to make an announcement about our new sponsor within the next four weeks.

'Dartmouth Academy has improved in leaps and bounds since its inception. Our results have improved and we are all looking towards a bright future in our new build.

'These improvements have been down to my hard working staff team here in Dartmouth.

'That staff team will remain in place. All our plans going forward remain unchanged and our funding situation is unchanged.

'The change in sponsor doesn't change anything that matters to our academy. In fact, a new sponsor that is closer to us geographically and committed to improving education for the long term in Dartmouth could help us to increase our rate of improvement for the good of all.'