Audlem School under Interim Executive Board

The following letter was sent on Friday to parents and carers of pupils at Audlem St James' School:

"15th April 2011
Dear Parents/Carers,

Dr Niall Carr
Chair of Governors"

UncertaintyIt appears that the uncertainty surrounding Audlem's primary school for over a year continues. An Interim Executive Board is a governing body appointed for a temporary period in exceptional circumstances with the specific task of ensuring school improvement.

We understand the IEB is made up of four educational experts. The appointment of such a Board is so unusual that it requires permission from the Secretary of State for Education. Over the past three years, just fifty IEBs nationally have taken over the running of a school.

Generally, the Local Authority only intervenes where a school is causing concern, and other avenues for improvement have been exhausted. Audlem School's most recent OfSTED report, however, rated the school as 'Satisfactory' and a recent Parents' Survey attracted generally positive responses.

Crucial roleGiven the crucial role of the school in the lives of pupils and parents, and indeed the wider local community, Audlem Online is seeking clarification from both OfSTED and the Local Authority on why this very unusual step has been taken.

In the meantime, Audlem Online has spoken to Niall Carr, who recently became Chair of Governors and is a retired HM Inspector of Schools. He says: "We felt we had a team together to support the head teacher and who she thought she could work with and was happy to do so. We felt we were getting back on track.

"There has been a considerable amount of finger pointing and unhelpful talk about the performance of the headteacher which the governing body, as now constituted, felt was unjust. The new relationship was beginning to be built, and given the opportunity, we could have provided the school and quality of education that parents and children deserve." 

More on this when we have comments from the Local Authority and OfSTED. 

Given the sensitivity and need for those official comments, Audlem Online believes it best that we do not publish Chatbox comments on this issue at present. We trust you understand this position.

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