Parents have taken a stand against the leadership of Firth Park Academy, claiming a catastrophic list of failings over bullying and neglect for special needs students.
We spoke to a number of parents, all of which wish to remain anonymous.
One parent, whose son has autism and social anxiety, described the situation as “deeply distressing”: “They’ve screamed at him, punished him, and promised him so much,” they said.
“In a meeting I had with them, they didn’t do anything that was agreed. I voiced my opinion on the school and how they’ve basically just ignored my son but they don’t offer any help. And just because I spoke out as a passionate mother, it’s like I’m an ‘angry mum.’”
Another parent said her autistic son was physically assaulted by his peers, but a teacher claimed he just “couldn’t take the banter”, and said they couldn’t take it further as there were no witnesses.
She said: “The school insisted they can’t do anything about it and so they dropped it. I’ve been in meetings and they say action will be taken and things will change, but it never does.”
Numerous parents have allegedly been forced to remove their children from the school due to the severity of the circumstances.
But in April, an Ofsted report said the school “offers a well-planned curriculum that supports future opportunities in employment, education, or training.”
Parents have planned to confront school leadership collectively, hoping that appearing as a large group will make it more difficult for their concerns to be ignored.
A spokesperson for the school said: “We work hard to make sure that Firth Park is a welcoming and inclusive school where every young person can thrive. Since September we have had additional leaders in school, including a new Executive Principal and a Vice Principal.
“Our SEND provision is also being heavily supported by the Head of Inclusion from Lift Schools, the network of schools which we are part of. Whilst it would be entirely inappropriate for us to provide detail on any specific concerns raised, we will always do everything we can to make sure students’ needs are met.”
As parents unite, they hope for meaningful changes at Firth Park Academy to improve the quality of education and safety for all students.