The Christian group lined up to sponsor a new academy school has pulled out of the project after a series of disagreements.

The Woodard Trust said it would no longer be backing the scheme for King's Manor Community College, in Shoreham, because its ethos would not "fit" properly with the school.

Neither the trust nor the school would give exact details about how or why difficulties had arisen but said the best solution had been for the school to find a new sponsor for the scheme.

King's Manor headteacher Heidi Brown said: "It was not going ahead as smoothly as we would have liked. There were a mixture of issues, it was not the curriculum or any one particular thing but it was not quite right for the school."

Another Christian group, the United Learning Trust, was announced as the new sponsor for the academy.

It has already backed 13 academies across Britain, more than any other group, and is involved with plans for one earmarked to replace Midhurst Grammar School.

Mrs Brown said: "Woodard and ULT are quite similar. The one thing, if there is a major difference, is that ULT are very experienced through setting up a whole range of academies in different areas. They have a lot to offer us."

The new proposals also include the University of Chichester as a supporting partner, a move which Mrs Brown said would boost the aspirations of pupils.

Woodard, which runs dozens of independent schools, including Lancing College, will continue to sponsor plans for academies to replace Boundstone Community College, in Sompting, and Littlehampton Community School. It said its work with those two schools had progressed well.

Canon Brendan Clover, Woodard's senior provost, said: "It's terribly important that you get the right sponsor for the right school because it is a long term commitment. That's what we have been trying to do. I'm just not sure the fit was right in Shoreham.

"We're a group with a particular ethos and particular emphasis on it."

The trust said financial considerations had not played any part in the decision not to sponsor the academy.

The Government set up the academy scheme to attract private expertise into the education sector.

It pays for the construction of the new schools but hands responsibility for running them to sponsors who support the schemes with a donation, initially required to be £2million.