In December 2011, the government (through the department of Ed) stated any schools wanting to change the national curriculum must consult with the parents, guardians and wider community. The governors of Heronsgate School (NUTNASUWT) have failed completely to consult with any parents and the wider community on in regards to the curriculum and any changes made. On 26th June 2013, parents were invited to Herongate School for a presentation of the curriculum by Mr Harper (headteacher) Mr Harper then went on to deceive between 100-200 people (by the medium of lying!) By presenting a curriculum and passing it off as next years, which it is not. The governors took the decision to lie and deceive well in advance of this meeting and have changed the curriculum without any consultations with parents. I met with Dr DA Ashmore in June 2012 and asked why the governors are not consulting parents and the wider community in regards to teh curriculum. In his written response, he omitted to mention any part of my questions regarding curriculum changes and parents not being consulted. This is because the unions do not want us to have our say. Dr DA Ashmore is himself a teacher of chemistry at a local school. I suspect the Chair of Governors and David Harper have very similar union backgrounds (NUT etc) Half of the governors are employed by the school. The other half are from the wider community...appears to be above board?? but 100% CAN be in an education union..."How many of Heronsgate's governors, there to reflect the WIDER COMMUNITY, are in fact also in an education union/teaching posts?".......given Dr DA Ashmore's post.....is he truly part of Heronsgate WIDER COMMUNITY?? Is he a parent of a child there....no. Does he truly reflect the wider community...to be fairly giving the public's opinion? No...he is a teacher.
It seems to me that the unions have a stranglehold on our schools. History and Geography are now half the length of "Golden Time" and now, not called History or Geography. Those that are expecting swimming lessons when their child starts at Heronsgate, will be bitterly disappointed as Mr Harper is spending the funding on maths lessons and music lessons. In May last year, the department for education stated that all schools that receive funding for swimming lessons MUST GIVE SWIMMING LESSONS. These are government statutes, legal requirements and not ambiguous. The governors of this school are mis-appropriating funds by spending this funding elsewhere.
The reason for this petition is to try and get our children to have a full hour of history and a full hour of geography...because next year, they will get half and hour of each, all rolled into 1 and it will be called Humanities. Also, for our children to receive the swimming lessons that they are in need of and are entitled to, from the funding.
On a personal note, Mr Harper wrote for a court hearing that my son was under-achieving in all areas. This is a blatant lie. My son was in the top maths set, free-reading and 1 of 5 children in his class that were allowed to write homework in pen. Mr Harper is a blatant liar and wantonly abuses his position of trust at Heronsgate School.
I will be canvassing and campaigning for the school to offer swimming lessons to children who cannot swim 25 metres...which is already required by law. I will also be campaigning for history and geography lessons to be more than 30 mins of each per week.
Until parents and the wider community have a say in their child's education at Heronsgate, I call for the school to be put into "special measures" to address the clear shortcomings of class standards or for the academy status to be suspended until such time as full consultations have been carried out.
Office for National Statistics state that a school that's rated outstanding puts an average £12,000 on the price of a house.....so if not for your school, do it for your house price :-) An improved local school will put value on your house!
Thank you for your time in reading this and I hope you will join me in supporting your child's education.
Maxine K. signed
just now 
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