Head teacher removed from failing school

It was announced today that Rev Julie Stanton was removed from her position as head teacher of St Giles Primary School, in Matlock, at short notice after parents handed in a petition to Ofsted this week calling for her to be replaced.

Tensions between parents and the school have been rising since a damning report by the education watchdog placed it in special measures in September last year.

Since then, 15 pupils have been pulled out of the school – 14 per cent of the original number if students, 107.

One parent, who has pulled their child out of the school and did not wish to be named, said: “We have voted with our feet.”

Paul Richards, whose daughter is in her final year at the school, said: “Quite a lot of people have got a lot of grievances. I think if these grievances had been properly sorted out it wouldn’t have come to this.

“Eight children have left in the last couple of weeks on top of all the other children - bearing in mind it’s just a little school.

“It’s in meltdown.”

Parents have raised concerns over the management of the school, as well as the progress of disabled children and those with special educational needs – an issue that was raised by Ofsted following the inspection last year.

Paul, who is a governor at a school in Nottingham and has previously been a governor at St Giles, said many parents have been supplementing their children’s education with private tuition as they do not feel they are taught adequately by the school.

“We need a new head teacher everyone can back,” he said.

“Generally the teachers at the school are nice teachers, but we need to rally around.”

Judith Hayward, chairman of the governing body at St Giles Primary School said: “The Governing Body continues to work closely with Derbyshire County Council and the Derby Diocesan Board of Education.

“I can confirm that the head teacher will not be in school for the time being. We are all working together to put interim arrangements in place.

“The focus of both the staff and governors continues to be on ensuring the best education for the children in the school.”