One pupil was taken out of lessons because his pencil case was shorter than the regulation 30cm, while another female student was singled out for failing to pack a pair of compasses - despite not being taught maths that day. Parent Hannah Sills, who has written to the head to complain, said parents had been in tears and accused the school of creating a "culture of fear." She added: "Both parents and schools are responsible for teaching children to be prepared, be responsible and have all the tools available to them, but removing the opportunity to be educated for not having a piece of equipment that wasn't needed is unacceptable teaching.
"I'd also like to know why it took over two hours for me to be informed that my child was in isolation." Meanwhile, Miranda Crumpler said she was astonished when her 12-year-old son was put in isolation for having a pencil case that was too short. She said: "The academy says it wants to educate to a high standard, but how can pupils be educated when they are put in isolation like this? It is ridiculous." Mrs Crumpler said her son was warned by teachers, last week, that isolation was beckoning if he didn't get a 30cm pencil case and ruler by Monday. "I wrote a note saying I would not have my son put into isolation, and that he had a 30cm ruler but it was folding - and it does not state in school policy that it couldn't be folding," she said.
"There were plenty of parents going in and out of the school, they were fuming. One lady had to come out of work just to take a ruler in for her daughter." Richard Tutt is head of the academy, formally Ashdown Technology College, which has gone from being in special measures to an outstanding Ofsted rating in less than two years, and was described as "truly inspiring" by Prime Minister David Cameron earlier this year. He said correct equipment "is vital for students" and "clear and specific requirements" were communicated to parents in July and again at the start of term last week.
6 comments:
I've said it before and no doubt I'll be saying it again. Teachers do not live in the real world. Far too many never leave the classroom environment from starting school at 5, going to teacer training college at 17 - 18, going to school as teachers and finally retiring.
WTF kind of depraved martinet is running this place? Someone needs them some serious psych counseling. Plus removal.
Good. Freaking. Grief.
Lurker111
any instructions that are to be enforced in this manner should at least have very clear guidelines. It would seem that teachers really need to step up their game.
Can anyone tell me why two pupils can't just share a ruler if one forgets his/hers? These rules would be understandable for exams where each pupil must bring his/her own equipment but definitely not for regular lessons.
As a teacher, I honestly suspect it's one little gobshite of a headmaster who's threatening the staff with suspension or dismissal to behave like this. My old school (Belfast Royal Academy) has fallen foul of this, but the old headmasters would lift heaven and earth to fix such things. In fact, when we were liable to end up only taking students from within a mile radius of the school (which despite being a grammar school was now in a dodgy area of Belfast) the plan was basically to raise the funds to move the whole damned school brick-by-brick to a mixed (non denominational) area of town and that would become our catchment area.
Wow. Clearly whoever is in charge has no idea what education is about. I can't imagine any good teacher being party to this.
Post a Comment