Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
‘It’s one colossal cover-up’
Under-fire head quits but parents slam secrecy over inquiry report
There have been calls this week for a confidential report into the conduct of a head teacher to be published after her shock resignation.
Jane Robinson quit her post at Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School, telling how “public challenges” to her professionalism had affected her health.
Her departure less than a year after a botched attempt to convert the school into an academy has sparked a furious response from parents, with one describing it as a “colossal cover-up”.
It comes just weeks after the conclusion of an independent inquiry into 200 complaints about the running of the school, the findings of which will only be seen by the chairman of governors.
Parents said they were told just days earlier a disciplinary process was about to start.
Education adviser Peter Read said: “This cannot be brushed under the carpet.”
Parent Kerry Gregory added: “I cannot tell you how angry and let down I feel. We have had 10 months of hell with that school.”
‘We all deserve to know the truth, no matter what that is’ – parent Richard Davis
The head teacher of Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar has resigned amid claims of an official cover-up over allegations of bullying and financial irregularities at the Canterbury school.
Jane Robinson’s leadership has been mired in controversy after the school’s failed attempt to convert to an academy, which prompted Kent County Council to order an independent inquiry. The findings of a leading education expert will not be made public, despite the school and county council pledging to foster “a culture of openness and transparency”.
Mrs Robinson said: “After nine years, I have made the difficult decision to resign from my post as from April 30.
“I have been under a great deal of pressure over the course of the past year with the ongoing public challenges to my professionalism and this has taken its toll on my personal health and wellbeing.”
Prof Ian Craig looked into the school’s financial arrangements before its bid to gain academy status, plus more than 200 complaints about issues including the conduct of Mrs Robinson and the way she dealt with staff. Mrs Robinson will not face any disciplinary proceedings.
Parents and education observers this week condemned the school and KCC education chiefs for their refusal to start a disciplinary process and for their determination to keep Prof Craig’s report confidential.
Peter Read, an education adviser, said Mrs Robinson’s departure followed “an extensive period of open warfare, on the one side by a group of parents, intent on exposing evidence about allegations of maladministration, unlawful action, financial irregularity, and bullying of staff by the head teacher”.
Richard Davis, who has a daughter in Year 8, is among those who gave evidence to Prof Craig. He said: “Finding out that Jane Robinson has been allowed to resign is the final move in a colossal coverup. Covering up the contents of the Craig Report is a betrayal of every single witness – current and former staff members, every single pupil and every single parent.
“We all deserve to know the truth, no matter what that is.
“By accepting Jane Robinson’s resignation and hiding the contents of the Craig Report, governors’ chairman Alisdair Chisholm and his deputy Michael Blanning have brought the school into considerable disrepute.
“They have eroded whatever trust remained in their competence, and clearly demonstrated their inability to lead the school from this crisis.”
On Monday, KCC announced that Mrs Robinson would formally leave her post with no further action taken against her personally.
But just six days before the announcement, parents say they were told their submissions to Prof Craig would form part of a disciplinary investigation into the under-fire head.
Tom Gregory, who has a daughter in Year 10, said: “I don’t understand what happened between Tuesday, March 7, when KCC’S director of education Keith Abbott rang me to explain that the next step would be to set up a
disciplinary panel for the head teacher, and Monday, when Mrs Robinson’s resignation was announced.”
His wife Kerry added: “I cannot tell you how angry and let down I feel that Jane Robinson has been allowed to resign. We have had 10 months of hell with that school. I am deeply concerned about who is going to lead the school now.”
Another parent, Graham English, said: “Without the Craig Report being published, I remain deeply concerned that any structural or cultural issues it might have uncovered may continue.
“The Craig Report needs to be acted on with fully-informed public scrutiny.”
In January it emerged that Prof Craig, England’s former chief schools adjudicator, was commissioned to carry out an inquiry into the botched academisation procedure.
Last year the Girls Langton faced heavy criticism for attempting to force through plans to become a multi-academy trust with the Spires Academy in Hersden.
It was accused of ignoring opinion when it was revealed the proposal had already won the approval of the Department for Education.
In June, the school aborted the plan. Prof Craig was asked to examine more than 200 complaints relating directly to the school’s leadership from both parents and staff. Some 20 teachers have quit in the last two years, citing a culture of bullying.
One ex-teacher said this week: “I was subjected to a sustained campaign to undermine my professionalism.
“I gave evidence to Prof Craig in good faith believing that the truth would be revealed concerning the way staff had been treated and the culture of fear and intimidation within the school.
“I am appalled that the findings of the report are to be buried whilst Mrs Robinson is allowed to walk away.”
At the end of the last academic year, KCC and the Girls Langton insisted the school would focus “on restoring confidence among parents and staff” and to ensure that those “relationships can be restored under a new climate of openness and transparency”.
But in January it emerged that Prof Craig’s report would only be seen by the chairman of governors and a handful of senior education officials.
In a KCC statement issued on Monday, director of education Keith Abbott said: “The independent investigation into complaints received from parents, staff and students by Kent County Council and Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School has concluded.
“Following his review of the findings the chair of governors considers that a number of actions should be put in place and the lessons learnt from the investigation report will aid the school in moving forward after the events of the past year.”
The Gazette contacted Prof Craig, but he said he was unable to comment.
‘I am appalled that the findings of the report are to be buried whilst Mrs Robinson is allowed to walk away’ – an ex-teacher