CAMPAIGNERS calling for improved standards at West Somerset College staged a peaceful protest on Monday to highlight their ongoing concerns in the wake of this year's poor GCSE results.

Around 20 people - some carrying placards - braved torrential rain to lobby the annual meeting of the college governors at which Martin McNeill stepped down from the chairmanship.

Vice-chairman Anne Looney was elected to replace him, with Mr McNeill taking on her former role, despite concerns raised by a number of governors, after no other nominations for the post were put forward.

Both Mr McNeill and college principal Gaynor Comber have been under fire and faced calls to resign since just 38 per cent of this year's GCSE students achieved five A* to C grades, including English and maths.

Ten of the protesters used their right as members of the public to attend the governors' meeting.

But Jim Butterworth, a spokesman for the GCSE Debate Campaign Group, which this week changed its Facebook page name to West Somerset College Raising Standards Discussion, said the call for the governors and Mrs Comber to be removed was not discussed.

"There was some talk about parents' letters and emails having been replied to but nothing about anybody resigning," he said.

Governors had copies of a plan to improve and raise standards but Mr Butterworth said little of the detail was shared publicly.

"We tried to approach the governors as they went into the meeting but they would not engage with us."

Mr Butterworth said just one governor spoke to the protesters as they stood outside before the meeting and spent around an hour listening to their concerns.

"We are grateful for that but we felt the other governors were simply discourteous and cowardly," he said.

Mr Butterworth said protesters felt they had achieved their aim of getting the problems recognised as Regional Schools Commissioner for the South West Sir David Carter and education advisors were now involved in the improvement plan, and Ofsted had also carried out an inspection.

"We wanted to bring the problems at the college to everyone's attention and we believe we have done that," he said.

"I think we can perhaps see a chink of light that the college is beginning to accept the problems and may be prepared to work with us and others to make improvements.

"Like everyone else, all we can do now is wait and see what the Ofsted report says and hopefully we will then be able to see how the college can improve."

The mood amongst some campaigners and parents appeared to be more positive this week, and on the campaign group's Facebook page, member Lee Webb appealed for people not to be antagonistic.

"We have debated, petitioned, protested and now it's time to discuss how we can effectively raise standards of education," he said.

"We need mature solutions for our children."

And parent Siobhan Hutchings said she had left a parents' meeting with governors on Wednesday - at which curriculum, tutoring and communication issues were raised - feeling more positive.

In a statement issued before Monday's meeting, governors said they had offered to meet the organisers of a petition launched in the wake of the GCSE results, as well as individual members of the community, to answer questions, address key areas of concern and help reach a shared understanding and agreed way forward.

And they said they were receiving regular advice from a range of highly experienced leaders in other schools that had faced similar challenges.

Governors also revealed that the percentage of students achieving five A* to C grades, including English and maths, had risen following re-moderation of English coursework.

The original figure was below the 40 per cent minimum demanded by the Government, but 42 per cent of students have now achieved the national benchmark.

Governors have pledged to make a detailed statement on the way forward by the end of this week.

"As parents are already aware, we are committed to doing whatever it takes to deliver our mission to meet the needs of all our learners and enable them to thrive," they said.

The statement, which had not been issued by the time the Free Press went to print yesterday (Thursday) was expected to set out how the college would raise standards in 2015 and beyond, how it would communicate with students, staff, parents and the wider community, and how progress would be monitored.