School’s new leadership team vows to win parent support
A NEW leadership team that has been brought in to help boost standards at a troubled school has pledged to win the trust of parents to ensure that education is dramatically improved.
The team of leading education experts is now in place at Graham School in Scarborough following the retirement of Helen McEvoy after three years as its headteacher.
The incoming team is led by Rob Pritchard, who is now the school’s executive headteacher, while Paul Brockwell will be Ms McEvoy’s replacement.
Mr Brockwell said: “We have to get the trust of parents. We have got a team of very experienced educationalists who have a track record of success.
“What we have seen so far is very positive.
“We’re here to improve and we want to engage with parents so in the next few weeks we will be holding open meetings to parents to introduce ourselves.
“We can have one-to-ones to share what we’re doing. The communication with parents is absolutely vital so we can work together for the benefit of the kids.”
The Yorkshire Post reported in February that Ofsted inspectors had warned urgent action was needed to address a catalogue of problems, including a rise in pupil absences and disruption in lessons.
The new leadership team has been introduced in the hope that Graham School’s ailing fortunes can be turned around and education standards significantly improved.
Mr Pritchard and Mr Brockwell are part of the Yorkshire Teaching School Alliance which includes 26 secondary schools, the University of York, Leeds Beckett University, York St John University and Leeds Trinity University.
Mr Pritchard, who is the alliance’s lead for school-to-school support, has been involved in teaching for 30 years and is a former Ofsted inspector.
A merger of the lower and upper schools, meaning all 1,100 pupils will be in one building, has been brought forward to June.
Improvements have already been made at the upper school including upgrading toilets, offices and classrooms.
A total of £2m in funding from North Yorkshire County Council will finance a further eight classrooms, offices and toilets.
It is hoped that the revamped site will be open by September 2018.