Does academy follow rules? (19 Sept 06)
From: Tony Brookes (headteacher, Thorne Grammar School 1987-2002), Thorne, near Doncaster.
The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) requires city academies to have exclusion policies which are consistent with those which it requires LEA schools to follow.
LEA schools are told that "Exclusion should not be used for... breaches of school uniform rules or rules on appearance (for example... hairstyles)."
Furthermore, the DfES tells schools that "informal or unofficial exclusions are illegal". In other words, if a school sends a pupil home for a disciplinary reason, it must inform the parents officially in writing and keep a record of the exclusion, otherwise the school is acting illegally.
The report on the sending home of Lee Kilgour, a pupil from Thorne's Trinity Academy for an "inappropriate" haircut (Yorkshire Post, September 8) raises many issues. The reason for sending the pupil home was clearly contrary to DfES requirements. The fact that the pupil's parents have not received notification of exclusion appears to make the academy's action illegal.
Previous problems at Trinity Academy involved pupils being sent home for breaches of the dress code (Yorkshire Post, January 10, 2006). If Trinity Academy were under LEA control, the education welfare officer would be insisting that Lee Kilgour was re-admitted to school immediately, but Doncaster LEA has no say in what happens at an academy within its boundaries.
The rules for pupils at Trinity Academy seem to be zealously enforced, but who ensures that the principal and his staff follow the rules which apply to them? Isn't it time for Ofsted, or Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, to investigate?
New academy has failed to win over the people who matter Yorkshire Post (11 Jan 06)
From: Tony Brookes (Headteacher, Thorne Grammar School 1987-2002), Thorne.
THE attempt by the Emmanuel Schools Foundation to subdue the young people of Thorne/ Moorends at the new Trinity Academy seems to have hit stormy waters with parents calling a meeting (for tonight, January 11) to discuss the harsh disciplinary regime. This comes as no surprise to anyone who knew Thorne Grammar School, which the academy replaced, and the community it served. Doncaster LEA ran a feeble consultation exercise about establishing the academy. Parents were given no hint about the type of regime the sponsors would enforce. The exercise produced a total of 76
responses, with only 21 from parents.
On the basis of this underwhelming level of support, the elected mayor pushed the proposal through.
The sponsors made no attempt to understand the community or to involve parents in any meaningful discussion about what they would want from a new school and how they would like it to operate. Instead, they imposed their ethos, religious views, dress code, curriculum and draconian discipline code without consultation.
Parents would have willingly agreed to strong sanctions for disruptive behaviour, bullying, bringing offensive weapons or drugs on site, etc. They would not have readily agreed to long detentions for having your top button undone or permanent exclusions for two
offences of smoking.
The sponsor's contempt for the local community also included an insistence that a thriving youth club on their site should be closed along with the local adult education centre. Parents and local councillors have been given no place in the first tier of governance of the academy.
Trinity Academy has proved the classic example of how not to set up an academy and how not to get the community behind you.
The sponsors may have found it easy to gain control by paying £2m but they have totally failed to win the hearts of the people who matter– the pupils and parents.
That is something that money cannot buy.
Replies to above letter & other articles.
Parents should be grateful for a school with real discipline Yorkshire Post (18 Jan 06)
From: H Mason, Rawcliffe, Nr Goole.
FURTHER to the letter from Tony Brookes (Yorkshire Post, January11), may I suggest he has overdosed on sour grapes? He carefully makes no reference to the problems that beset Trinity Academy, formerly Thorne Grammar School, in years gone by when many residents in Doncaster yearned for a greater degree of discipline at its senior school.
In my view, the area has now got a school of which it can be proud. It is time now for Mr Brookes to get off the backs of those who are working so hard to make it a success. Can I add that I was a pupil at Goole Grammar School in the 1940s. I dread to think of the consequences of being found smoking on the premises. There was little awareness then of the dangers to health that smoking posed. How times have changed.
From: Catherine W, Hatfield, Doncaster. Yorkshire Post (18 Jan 06)
WITH reference to the article by Paul Whitehouse about pupil suspensions at Trinity Academy (Yorkshire Post, January 10), what on earth are parents of pupils whingeing about?
They had full information about the rules of the school and standard of behaviour expected from the pupils when the school started.
Some of the pupils have broken those rules and standards, and are being disciplined for their misdemeanours and now there is to be a public meeting to moan about the sanctions being imposed.
The one permanent exclusion so far has been for a girl who was found to be carrying a knife. I can only applaud the Academy for their decision, after reading recently about pupils being slashed across the face in other schools.
Many people in this area are so pleased to have a school in their midst with such high expectations of behaviour, leading to raising standards and levels of attainment, but it seems that some parents of the fortunate pupils who attend the school cannot accept the disciplining of their children when it is necessary.
From: Mrs Oglesby, Thorne, Doncaster. Yorkshire Post (18 Jan 06)
I HAVE been a reader of the Yorkshire Post for many years and always praised your impartial reporting. No longer. You published another letter from Tony Brookes, the ex-headmaster of Thorne Grammar School (Yorkshire Post, January 16), complaining about the new Trinity Academy that has opened in its place.
Contrary to claims, most parents in Thorne have nothing but praise for the Academy.