Penkhull school pupils sent home for wearing wrong shoes

“Well, well at long last a few of you now realise what the real problems are at Thistley Hough. It is a sad state of affairs when a school returns to special measures through inadequate leadership and the only people punished are the children and Teachers, who have been busting a gut despite poor leadership and management. Oh no it does not stop with the leadership from the immediate school staff e.g. Head teacher, Deputy Head Teachers, Assistant Head Teachers but the Governing Body too. Are parents even aware that an interim governing body has been brought into the school and the reasons why? Do parents realise that Mr Haines along with the School Business Manager are suspended from their duties. It took CEAT to inform parents at a meeting few could be bothered to attend. What has really happened to Mr Haines, following a long list of lies from the school itself? Whilst on the note of CEAT why do parents not care who is taking over their Childs school? Why is the local community happy to settle for an unknown entity? Especially when they were chosen by a Head Teacher and Governing Body who have now been removed from duty. Where is the LA? Now let's see that's right they are too busy dealing with the disruption that has already occurred and to keep their own name out of it, in the hope of washing their hands of Thistley Hough as soon as reasonably possible. What do the front line staff feel? You know those that really matter i.e. Teachers and Support Staff. Well after speaking to a few of them it would appear that they hugely oppose CEAT and their pleas to find a sponsor with a proven record, that can drive through standards in the schools weaker areas e.g. Maths and English have fallen on deaf ears. Should a new leadership team have been brought in? Absolutely and a new Head Teacher sought, one with experience and a proven record for driving standards. Any Senior Leaders that were worth keeping have moved on, no doubt all promoted or running away from what can only be described as a nightmare. From my point of view as a parent the current leadership is weak, it spouts a whole load of hot air, sets unrealistic deadlines for us as parents, (One week to sort new uniform) let alone its staff, but most of all, does not listen. The question remains why have they too not been removed from post? Come back Mr Stephens is what I say, Thistley Hough once again needs your help and expertise. Parents wake up and smell the coffee, worry about what really matters i.e. the management of your child's school and their wellbeing and happiness. Question the motives of CEAT and the remaining senior leaders and save your child's school before it's too late!”

“Of course staff want their students to look smart when attending school, but isn't this up to the parents depending on their financial state. Black leather shoes may be better for kids feet, but our purses only hold so much.

I thought that school attendance was about learning their lessons and above all to be able to communicate effectively and efficiently as well as the ability to READ,WRITE AND understand MATHS in order to apply for positions in work. So many children leave school unable to do this.”

“Interesting comments re what was an improving school only a few years ago. What a difference a poor Headteacher and inexperience SLT can make to a school. My understanding is that the current acting Headteacher claims she had no idea about what was going on at Thistley Hough because she was on maternity leave. She was off for 4 months - it didn't all go wrong just during this time, she was part of the leadership time during the school's decline. How can she and the current team be expected to turn the school around now?

CEAT - The Creative Education Trust - are due to take over Thistley Hough in January 2013. The school has failed and gone into special measures while it has had media and visual arts status, so why do they think their future is best served now becoming an arts based school?

Only 34% of students reached the GCSE standard expected for their age this summer. The SLT should be hanging their heads in shame. If this was a private company they'd all be out the door.

What's needed is a new leadership team led by a new Headteacher with a proven track record, who will inspire and lead staff and students to a bright new future for Thistley Hough.”

“Every September these stories appear. My daughter left THHS in the summer, canvas pumps weren't allowed during the 5 years she attended.

Parents should be more worried about why TTHS is the 2nd worse school in the city for results. They should be more worried about where the Headteacher is.
They should be more worried about where the Finance Officer is.
They should be more worried about the obvious lack of good lessons.
They should be more worried about the standard of learning and teaching.
They should be more worried about the sponsor that wants to take over this failing school.
They should be wondering why fresh flowers in the acting Head's office are more important than children leaving with at least 5 A*s to Cs that will provide life chances.

Things are seriously wrong at TTHS and it starts at the top.”

“My daughter left in the summer, canvas shoes were never allowed during the 5 years she attended, nor for the previous 3 years when my son also attended.”

“So these furious parents are not worried that the school is to become an academy and that it will no longer be a community school? This school has been part of the community since it was built in 1938. Parents will have even less say in the running of the school in the future so they may well end up not only complaining about the shoes but also the fact that the new sponsors will change the admissions policy so that children living in the area might have to travel elsewhere for their education. Did the Governing Body ask parents if they wanted the school to become an academy? Did they ask the teachers? did they ask the pupils? This school is now being handed over to a private company who need to make a profit. The only way to make a profit is to cut costs so does this mean less teacher? Less books? Paying for sports? I am sure the outrage over shoes will seem like a distant memory when pupils are eating the food that Jamie Oliver got banned from state schools three years ago.

There have been more responses to this 'uniform outrage' than to the school failing to hit the government floor targets again meaning that students at this school are now without the education they deserve. Do any parents actually wonder what is happening to the Head Teacher and why there is an acting Head at the school? Do any parents know who the Chair of Governors is? Do parents know that the Local Authority send more pupils excluded from other schools to Thistley Hough than any other school?

The school has its faults, many of them, but the staff are committed to providing a quality education, the leadership team seem to be trying to change course from the shambles of the previous administration and for this to be a success it needs more parents taking an interest in education. The school wants your views negative and positive so email them consumergroup@sgfl.org.uk I am sure the Local Authority would like to hear your views on the number of excluded pupils being sent to the school when there is a new pupil referral unit just down the road with about nine pupils in. As parents we need to support the school and only then can we hold it accountable.”

“You'd have thought Mr. Cooked would have at least cleaned the shoes before he put them on his dinning table.”

“Can i just clarify why parents were waiting for letters regarding he uniform.They had intended on completely changing the uniform from the begining of september to coinside with the school changing to academy status, however due to red tape and lack of consultation the academy status has been delayed untill january 2013. The plan was still to introduce a complete new uniform, until parents, pupils and i believe some staff disagreed with the proposed uniform and its age appropriatness.The school then did a survey with parents but unfortunatley didnt inform parents of any outcome, so untill the "directory" landed on door mats no parents were really 100% sure what the uniform was at all. I think its safe to safe all parents are in favour of a uniform, all we ask is that clear information is given as to what is expected.”

“if parents need a letter to tell them what a school uniform is, then didn't these parents go to school? Come on its common sense . school shoes have always been a black leather and always will be due to them being good for the kids feet in all weathers .... and not to mention smart.”

“The uniform hasn't changed so I can't understand why parent's are saying they didn't know what the uniform was and needed letters to clarify this?”