Protest made outside Guildhall as angry parents blast council's children's services department

DW
12 Dec 2014

PARENTS and a union joined forces and made their voices heard loud and clear outside in a candlelit protest outside a full council meeting on Tuesday.

The Bisham Parents Action Group and GMB protested outside the Guildhall on Tuesday for around 90 minutes with more than 50 people chanting, waving placards and booing councillors and council officers as they arrived at the meeting.

The two groups joined forces to vent their anger at the current temporary leadership at Bisham CE Primary School imposed by the council using its powers of intervention to oversee improvement of schools and the actions of the council's children's services department.

The Royal Borough took over the school on Friday, November 21 following an Ofsted inspection which ranked the school as inadequate - a report the veteran now ex-headteacher Jim Cooke and parents' group strongly disputed.

An interim Ofsted report in May ranked the school largely as good.

Alison Alexander, director of children services, said: "We understand a small group of parents whose children attend Bisham CE Primary School have concerns about what is currently happening at the school.

"However, it has been judged as Inadequate, requiring special measures by Ofsted and we are using our power of intervention to oversee the school improvement.

"An interim head is on site alongside local authority officers. They are committed to working with the school staff, governors and parents to drive forward standards of education.

"We are all committed to ensuring all children have access to high quality education."

A petition with more than 1,250 signatures has been handed to the Royal Borough, asking the council to investigate Ms Alexander's dealings with the school.

Council managing director, Mike McGaughrin, said: "The borough has received the petition and the matter will now be considered under the council's disciplinary procedures as per the council's constitution."

 

Source:

  1. Royal Borough Observer - online

 

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