One of the largest schools in the Worthing area is going into special measures after a damning inspectors' report.

The Ofsted report on Boundstone Community College, Lancing, was published on Friday but won't be released to parents until June 13.

One governor accused the education authority of misleading parents and the public about the state of the school which has more than 1,000 pupils.

On Friday The Argus revealed Glynnis Cook, headteacher of Boundstone for nine years, was leaving due to ill health.

John Rimmer, who was headteacher at Oathall Community College in Haywards Heath for 21 years, has been brought in to run the school until a new head is appointed.

Last week Mr Rimmer said: "My being here is standard procedure. There isn't a problem. The school is going very well."

But a governor, who didn't want to be named, said: "The report is a public document and should be available as from last Friday. The school has been put into special measures and the head has gone.

"There was an Ofsted report four years ago and nothing has been done since. It is no surprise the school should go into special measures now. There need to be some further resignations and dismissals. There has been a very high number of resignations from the staff. The school is hardly doing very well."

He called on the education authority to stop misleading the public and parents.

Jane Robinson, spokeswoman for West Sussex County Council, the education authority, said: "I can confirm Boundstone has gone into special measures.

"We shall actually be writing to parents to tell them about this. It is unfortunate that it has gone into the public domain before the parents have been informed about it.

"The normal procedure for Ofsted reports is they are received by the school and within ten working days they need to be out with the parents and that's what we were planning to do.

"Obviously the governors and the local education authority are doing everything they possibly can to support the school.

"We have John Rimmer as acting headteacher at the moment, and Richard Evea, headteacher of Angmering School, will be taking over the headship after half-term and will actually be at the school until the end of the academic year in 2003.

"Mr Rimmer has seen some good work at the school as well as this difficulty. It is not an entirely black picture. This was the point he was making."

Tonight, at a governors' meeting, the chairman of the board, John Bowd and deputy chairman Walter Ulrich, could face calls for their resignations.