West Sussex County Council's consultation closed on April 8, but a second public survey, commissioned by the sponsor of the proposed academy to replace Midhurst Grammar School, the United Learning Trust (ULT) is still being carried out.

It began with two public meetings at Midhurst Intermediate School on March 26, chaired by educationalist Dame Jocelyn Barrows, whose consultancy DJB had been commissioned to gauge public opinion.

Following the meetings, parents and others in the Rother Valley have been interviewed by researchers.

NAME (No to an Academy in Midhurst or Easebourne) campaigner Tony Sneller said the most worrying aspect was complaints about the structure of the survey.

"Parents have repeatedly pointed to the wording of the questions which present the academy as a 'done deal'," said Mr Sneller.

"These are questions such as those about whether the academy should be built on Midhurst Intermediate School or Midhurst Grammar School and left no option for opposing it in principle.

"One interviewee reported that the questions were 'inherently biased'.

"Anecdotal evidence at this stage suggests that responses which did not fit the given tick-boxes were recorded as 'don't know', which in some cases would imply the respondent was in favour of the academy but unsure about the particular arrangements under scrutiny."

Mr Sneller said accounts from those interviewed by researchers begged questions about 'misrepresentation, inaccuracy and the rush with which the Rother Valley are now familiar when it comes to anything related to the academy'.

"My professional experience would suggest that this consultation is not being carried out with the due care and diligence that this important issue demands," claimed Mr Sneller.

Parents have voiced concerns about the way in which the data is being collected.

"Some parents have been interviewed following a 'word of mouth' approach from the interviewers, who have in turn asked them to 'recommend' other parents who might be available.

"It's unscientific," said one Fernhurst father.

And Midhurst mum Tracey Illman of NAME commented: "This just goes to show that it's being pushed through.

"It's all about the 'new building' and not what is best for the kids. This business with the survey is typical of the confusion in this consultation.

"The left hand doesn't know what the right one is doing. It doesn't exactly give you confidence about what is going to happen in the future."

A spokesman for DJB consulting told the Observer: "The polling of parents has been undertaken as one component part of the comprehensive independent consultation.

"A random sample of 254 parents and prospective parents of children at the three schools has been polled and the survey was conducted under the rules of the Market Research Society."

n A new NAME poll gauging public opinion is available online