GEORGE Osborne’s announcement that all schools will become academies by 2020 has been labelled a disaster for schools in Sussex.

In Brighton and Hove, staff, parents and pupils have successfully fought two academy conversions - Hove Park and Varndean - in less than five years.

However, it now looks as if those efforts will be in vain.

David Gilchrist, from The Anti Academy Alliance which supported the Hove Park campaign in 2014, said the decision was a disaster for the education system.

He said academies leaves a financial black hole because of the creaming of money off the top of the education.

He also argued that there was not enough care given to student progression.

As academies, bosses will now be allowed to hire unqualified teachers, make changes to the curriculum and – as has already been stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer – extend or shorten the school day.

Hove Park head teacher Rob Reed took over from Derek Trimmer after he walked away having not been able to see through the academy conversion.

He said: “In 2014, Hove Park School considered and rejected academy status.

“This position has not changed.

"We will await further details from the Government regarding future national policy on this matter."

Brighton and Hove City Council is currently undergoing consultation for its admissions system, and councillor Daniel Chapman said the administration would plough on with it despite schools not being in its control for much longer.

The council would not be drawn on whether or not jobs would be lost as a result of the announcement.

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, criticised the plans and called them shameful.

She said: “We need to bring our schools back under local democratic oversight, not erode it further."

Currently, Brighton and Hove has two academies with Brighton and Portslade Aldridge Community Academy, owned by Sir Rod Aldridge.

He said being surrounded by academies would not detract from their work.

Paul Shellard, NUT branch secretary for Brighton and Hove, said: "We think it's undemocratic, there's no evidence that academies do better and there's clearly no popular demand for turning local schools into academies."