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Leaders of troubled academy to go | Leaders of troubled academy to go |
(20 minutes later) | |
The head teacher and the chief executive of an academy at the centre of protests by pupils and parents are to leave, the BBC has learned. | The head teacher and the chief executive of an academy at the centre of protests by pupils and parents are to leave, the BBC has learned. |
The Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle opened just five months ago. | The Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle opened just five months ago. |
Ofsted inspectors paid an emergency visit after complaints from parents who said they feared for their children's safety because of staff shortages. | Ofsted inspectors paid an emergency visit after complaints from parents who said they feared for their children's safety because of staff shortages. |
It is understood head teacher Mark Yearsley and chief executive Peter Noble are leaving. | It is understood head teacher Mark Yearsley and chief executive Peter Noble are leaving. |
There has been no official confirmation of the departures as yet. The school is not commenting but it is understood a trouble-shooter is being sent in to try to get the academy back on track. | There has been no official confirmation of the departures as yet. The school is not commenting but it is understood a trouble-shooter is being sent in to try to get the academy back on track. |
He is said to be former head teacher and head of the government's Innovations Unit Mike Gibbons. | He is said to be former head teacher and head of the government's Innovations Unit Mike Gibbons. |
Academies - sometimes called "independent state schools" - are the flagship of the Westminster government's programme to improve England's schools. | Academies - sometimes called "independent state schools" - are the flagship of the Westminster government's programme to improve England's schools. |
Parents of children at the Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle are due to meet Ofsted inspectors this evening. | Parents of children at the Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle are due to meet Ofsted inspectors this evening. |
The school was closed on Friday because of protests by pupils and some parents had been calling for a change in management. | The school was closed on Friday because of protests by pupils and some parents had been calling for a change in management. |
Students' complaints about lack of teachers and poor teaching gathered pace on the internet last week. | Students' complaints about lack of teachers and poor teaching gathered pace on the internet last week. |
'Not much learning' | 'Not much learning' |
Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Carol Thompson, who has three children at the school, said the main problem was a shortage of teaching staff. | Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Carol Thompson, who has three children at the school, said the main problem was a shortage of teaching staff. |
She said her children had been worried about going to school since she voiced concerns about it to the media. | She said her children had been worried about going to school since she voiced concerns about it to the media. |
She accompanies her son Reeve, 11, into school every day. Fifteen-year-old Hannah often refuses to go, she says, because she feels intimidated. | She accompanies her son Reeve, 11, into school every day. Fifteen-year-old Hannah often refuses to go, she says, because she feels intimidated. |
"I'm annoyed," Carol told BBC News. | "I'm annoyed," Carol told BBC News. |
It's difficult to get much work done - people just mess around Nicole, 11 | It's difficult to get much work done - people just mess around Nicole, 11 |
"The children are being taught in temporary classrooms with no heating and no toilets. | "The children are being taught in temporary classrooms with no heating and no toilets. |
"A lot of the good teachers have left, and there are too many supply teachers. | "A lot of the good teachers have left, and there are too many supply teachers. |
"People have had enough of not being listened to." | "People have had enough of not being listened to." |
Outside the academy earlier on Wednesday, 11-year-old Nicole was dropped off by her mother, but seemed in no hurry to get to lessons. | Outside the academy earlier on Wednesday, 11-year-old Nicole was dropped off by her mother, but seemed in no hurry to get to lessons. |
She told us there was "not much learning going on". | She told us there was "not much learning going on". |
"It's difficult to get much work done when there's supply", she said. "People just mess around." | "It's difficult to get much work done when there's supply", she said. "People just mess around." |
Schools minister Jim Knight visited the academy last week, and pledged to do all he could to turn the school around, saying the school's problems had not appeared overnight. | Schools minister Jim Knight visited the academy last week, and pledged to do all he could to turn the school around, saying the school's problems had not appeared overnight. |
Teaching unions say this academy was rushed through before it was ready. | |
Temporary classrooms | |
The Richard Rose Central Academy was formed from a merger between two local schools - St Aidan's and North Cumbria Technology College. | The Richard Rose Central Academy was formed from a merger between two local schools - St Aidan's and North Cumbria Technology College. |
But it's currently housed on the college's site. With the aid of many temporary classrooms, two schools have been merged into one. | But it's currently housed on the college's site. With the aid of many temporary classrooms, two schools have been merged into one. |
The brand new building - the trademark of so many academies - has yet to get planning permission. | The brand new building - the trademark of so many academies - has yet to get planning permission. |
Parents claimed rival gangs from the two former schools now pass each other in the same corridors. | Parents claimed rival gangs from the two former schools now pass each other in the same corridors. |
Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said many of the academy's problems stemmed from the fact that it was "inappropriately fast-tracked". | Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said many of the academy's problems stemmed from the fact that it was "inappropriately fast-tracked". |
The government wants to have 200 academies open by 2010, but denies any have been rushed through. | The government wants to have 200 academies open by 2010, but denies any have been rushed through. |
Many of the students here seem passionate about wanting this academy to do better than the two schools which merged to form it. | Many of the students here seem passionate about wanting this academy to do better than the two schools which merged to form it. |
Ryan Mills, 14, saw his face splashed across a local newspaper last week after his Bebo page called for pupils to make a stand against what they said was the poor standard of education. | Ryan Mills, 14, saw his face splashed across a local newspaper last week after his Bebo page called for pupils to make a stand against what they said was the poor standard of education. |
Now he's urging them to "stick together and help make Richard Rose a better school". | Now he's urging them to "stick together and help make Richard Rose a better school". |
Grievances | Grievances |
This is only the second time that Ofsted has carried out a school inspection after parental complaints. | This is only the second time that Ofsted has carried out a school inspection after parental complaints. |
The first school to be inspected in this way was eventually given a "satisfactory" rating. | The first school to be inspected in this way was eventually given a "satisfactory" rating. |
Ofsted expects parents to take their grievances to the school in the first instance, and it does not investigate complaints relating to individual students. | Ofsted expects parents to take their grievances to the school in the first instance, and it does not investigate complaints relating to individual students. |
Peter Noble, the chief executive of the Richard Rose Federation which runs the school, had previously defended teaching at the academy. | Peter Noble, the chief executive of the Richard Rose Federation which runs the school, had previously defended teaching at the academy. |
He said the academy had "made a good start", but had problems which could not be fixed overnight. | He said the academy had "made a good start", but had problems which could not be fixed overnight. |