Parents are overwhelmingly against a church school becoming an academy, a survey suggests.

The Catholic primary school Our Lady of Lourdes in Wanstead is currently run by Redbridge Council, but Brentwood Diocese wants to move the school away from local authority control and turn it into an academy.

This would give Brentwood Diocese greater control over the school’s curriculum and staffing choices, as well as making it directly funded by the Government.

The Our Lady of Lourdes action group, run by parents from the school, recently circulated a survey to all families.

The results show a split of opinion, but much opposition to the diocese’s plans.

Out of 206 responses, 48 per cent of parents said they were against the school becoming an academy, 32 per cent were undecided, four per cent agreed with its academisation and 16 per cent said they would trust the school to make the right decision for their child’s future.

Following the announcement of the diocese’s plans last year, there has been growing opposition, with councillors accusing the diocese of “squalid behaviour” in its dealings with parents and Redbridge Council.

Cllr Paul Donovan, of Wanstead Village ward, said: “This survey confirms what a growing number of parents have been saying about this whole process. Most do not support academisation, preferring that their already excellently performing school stays as it is within the family of local authority run schools.

“There is though another sizeable group, who object to not being consulted and informed properly about what is going on. It is high time the Diocese of Brentwood started listening to what the parents are saying. In the 21st century you do not just railroad these things through.

“The strength of schools like Our Lady of Lourdes comes from their root in the local parish community – why not listen to them.”

In December, the school’s chairman of governors Gregor Eglin stood down in protest against the plans, saying he could campaign better on the issue away from the role.

Councillors and parents have also accused the diocese of a “lack of communication” after representatives did not attend an education scrutiny meeting scheduled last month to discuss the plans.

Brentwood Diocese did not respond to a request for comment.