MORE than 100 years ago Ambrose Gorham set up a fund to support primary education in Telscombe Village.

He did this because he knew that education is at the heart of community.

It is often schools that bring generations together, that transform communities and help our children achieve their dreams.

Community education has been at the heart of Peacehaven and Telscombe schools since then.

When I went to school there was no secondary school in Peacehaven and children had to be bussed to Tideway in Newhaven or Priory in Lewes.

I went to Priory but by the time I had left school the then government in 2001 with our former MP Des Turner had successfully achieved a new secondary school where our children could be educated in the community.

It is a model that has worked for more than 50 years and recent studies show schools linked to the community and part of the local authority are quickest to improve.

This is why Lewes parents have fought forced academisation of their schools and in Brighton parents successfully campaigned against academisation of their schools.

If council-run schools are good enough for Lewes and Brighton, then they are good enough for Telscombe and Peacehaven.

I hope the forced academisation, which will waste unnecessary money on reorganisation, will be halted in our local primary schools and we all support strong locally controlled education in our communities.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle is Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven