More than a dozen parents have protested outside a Great Yarmouth school that is the fresh focus of controversy.

The protestors were at Trafalgar College in Thamesfield Way, which is to close and merge with Great Yarmouth Charter Academy.

The parents say the merger will lead to the loss of Trafalgar College’s secular ethos when it closes.

Parents are also concerned about having to send their children to Great Yarmouth Charter Academy in Salisbury Road instead when the merger is completed with a Christian ethos.

There are also concerns on how eight pupils have since been excluded from Trafalgar College since the merger confirmation was announced last Friday by the Inspiration Trust, which runs both schools.

Louise Alderman, who was leading the protest, said: “The protest today is to highlight the parents’ anger and opinions that the school are making changes we are not happy with.

“They have been agreed by the Department of Education so we will be putting in a formal complain to try and challenge the decisions that have been passed, including the change to the religious designation to our school.

We don’t see there really is a need for this in a modern day society, we are currently a multi-faith school and more than happy.”

Mrs Alderman is also concerned her son Finn, 13, will now have to travel to Great Yarmouth Charter Academy, a journey of four miles.

Also at the protest was Mike Smith-Clare, councillor for the area.

He said: “Parents have been contacting me in great numbers expressing their concerns at the closure of the lack of opportunity from the loss of education at Trafalgar College.

“I am deeply disappointed. There needs to be opportunities for our local children

“I am also genuinely concerned about what is taking place with the exclusions, I believe eight children have been excluded in the first couple of days of this new regime.” The Inspiration Trust said the merger offers the best opportunity to secure the broadest, highest quality curriculum for children in the town.