A HIGH school’s plans to be sponsored by the Tauheedul academy chain have been abandoned.

Last year Witton Park governors voted unanim-ously for the school to be sponsored by the same founders of the nearby Islamic girls’ secondary.

The Blackburn school was close to gaining Department of Education approval for the scheme but the plan is now off.

The plan is now for Witton Park to become a stand-alone academy from next month.

Last year the plans to join the Blackburn-based Tauh-eedul Sponsored Academ-ies group anticipated Witton Park becoming its ‘flagship’ academy.

Parents were told it would benefit from a national network of support and development opportunities, along with improving educational standards. Now, unions are calling for a renewed consultation process.

Simon Jones at the NUT said: “We were never in favour of Witton Park joining Tauheedul but that was the plan on the table. That was the plan presented to parents and to the community.

“This decision for Witton Park to go it alone is a completely different plan than the one presented to staff and parents. We don’t feel the school can just switch plans at the 11th hour and then proceed.”

Hamid Patel, the chief executive of Tauheedul Education, said the Buncer Lane school was ‘well capable’ of becoming a stand-alone academy.

He said: “Tauheedul has a lot of projects to oversee both in Blackburn and outside Blackburn. Right now there are many organisational changes taking place with us, several months before this academy conversion.”

Headteacher of Witton Park Dean Logan said: “Witton Park Academy Trust has been formed and we aim to complete the process on 1 May as we continue our journey.”