The sudden departure of a highly praised headteacher has led to fears a primary school could be following a growing trend and become an academy.

In the borough 34 of the 87 primary schools and 16 of Croydon's 22 secondaries have been transformed into academies.

The removal of Della Williams from the top job at South Norwood Primary School has parents fearing it could be going the way of Roke Primary School, where parents battled unsuccessfully against the academy process in 2013.

Parents at the school in Little Roke Road were vehemently opposed to the changes and 12 of the 17 teachers were said to have left before the Harris Federation took over in September 2013.

Governors at South Norwood were replaced by an interim executive board (IEB) in January led by John Phillipson to investigate the maladministration of SATs results from 2013.

On May 22 Mrs Williams, who was commended in the school's last Ofsted report as having "relentless drive and high expectations that ensure a positive trend of school improvement" and helped the school’s rating go from satisfactory to good, suddenly left.

Speaking on behalf of concerned parents, one mother said if the investigation into SATS is over then the results should be published and the old governors should be allowed to return.

The group believe the reason this has not happened is because the school will be forced to become an academy.

She said: "Many parents are suspicious that this is a move which does not have their children’s best interest at heart, but is politically motivated, in order to impose an academy sponsor of the IEB’s choosing upon the diverse, vibrant and inclusive school.

"The widespread view was that the decision to force Mrs Williams out and the manner in which it had been done and communicated to parents and children was disrespectful, insensitive and immoral.

"No one thinks getting rid of Mrs Williams was in the best interest of the children."

Mr Phillipson, was in charge of the IEB at Oval Primary School in 2011 before it was turned into an academy.

That school’s headteacher Ruth Johnston left without warning that February before being replaced with Sir Craig Tunstall, the executive headteacher of the Gipsy Hill Federation.

He spent just 48 hours in charge before being ousted by furious teachers and parents, who were upset about harsh discipline imposed on pupils.

The headteacher at Fairchildes Primary, Ros Sandell, was then tasked with running both schools before Oval was turned into Ark Oval Primary Academy.

The Croydon Guardian approached South Norwood Primary School but had not responded before the newspaper went to press.

A Croydon Council spokesman said: “An interim head teacher has been put in place at South Norwood Primary School following an investigation by the school’s interim executive board which the council appointed this year, in relation to the SATs tests in 2013 where the results were annulled due to maladministration.

"For the staff affected there is an appeal process and in the intervening time we cannot comment further.

“The school has an experienced and capable head teacher and board and we will continue to work with them to ensure that the pupils get the best education possible. 

"Discussions about academy status are a matter between the schools and the Department for Education.”