Firth Park Academy acknowledges that SEND provisions ‘needed improvement’ amid ongoing issues raised by parents in the past week.

The academy responded to multiple concerns raised by frustrated parents, admitting shortfalls in their special needs accommodations for students.

Parents claimed that their children were being labelled as ‘bad kids’ rather than receiving adequate special needs support from the school, with one parent saying that their child in year 11 had “given up” because they didn’t feel supported.

Firth Park Academy’s most recent Ofsted report in June also highlighted this, stating that “some pupil groups, such as those with SEND, do not make the progress they are capable of making”.

A spokesperson for Firth Park Academy said: “We recognise that the SEND provision in school needed improvement and we are working hard to ensure that all learners get their entitlement to quality provision.

“If needed, we do use external provision to support students in line with their EHCP [Educational Health Care plan] or recommendations from wider learning partnerships.”

The academy also responded to other issues raised at the meeting last Sunday, including the toilet pass system. 

One parent shared how their child with kidney problems had allegedly been denied access to the toilet on multiple occasions, and another parent’s daughter had leaked through her clothes whilst on her period because she had been refused access to the toilet.

Firth Park Academy said: “Students are encouraged to use toilet facilities at appropriate times during the school day. 

“Students with medical needs who need access to toilet facilities at more regular intervals are provided with a pass to support these needs.

“Staff are encouraged to use their discretion when a student requests to use the toilet in order to ensure that all student needs are met if this is during lesson time.”

Parents stated that they have struggled to get in contact and arrange meetings with the academy to address these concerns. The attendees at the meeting agreed to protest outside the academy building if things do not improve.

Firth Park Academy have not denied any claims made at the meeting, but have outlined future commitments to communicate with parents.

This week, the academy is planning to host a series of “listening sessions” for parents to address these concerns raised in the meeting.

Firth Park Academy said: “Our families’ views matter to us enormously, and we want to make sure that we are taking the time to listen deeply to their feedback on what works well, as well as ways in which we can make our partnership with families even stronger.”