‘It’s a school – not a prison’

Parents threaten protest after school imposes strict new regime

PARENTS have threatened to stage a protest outside a Barnsley school due to a new ‘totalitarian’ regime implemented by leaders – after Department for Education figures obtained by the Chronicle revealed a third of its pupils have been excluded.

Astrea Academy Dearne, in Goldthorpe, has been blasted by parents since children returned for the new term earlier this month – with many voicing their concerns over strict rules brought in by leaders.

The Chronicle can reveal parents are planning to hold a peaceful protest outside the Goldthorpe Road school in a bid to force change, after they complained of unnecessary exclusions, ‘prison-like’ isolation rooms and teachers allegedly refusing to engage despite complaints being lodged.

Department for Education figures show there were a total of 2,248 permanent or temporary exclusions across Barnsley’s schools in the last academic year, with Astrea Academy Dearne excluding 34 per cent of its pupils.

However, parents fear the figure will rocket for the new term and have called on Astrea bosses to discuss their concerns at a parents’ meeting.

One parent, who did not wish to be named, told the Chronicle she had contacted her local MP – John Healey – for help.

She said: “New rules have come in over the summer and we’re at the end of our tethers now.

“It’s a ridiculous situation and something has to give – if it doesn’t, some will go as far as taking their children out of the school because it’s so bad.

“I’m all for punishing kids when they have misbehaved, but the new rules are totalitarian – this is a school, not a prison, and whenever we try to engage with the school we are either fobbed off or even blocked from their social media accounts.

“Children who break the rules spend their crucial educational time in ‘reset’ for 24 hours, which is a small enclosed desk space in which they are made to sit forward at all times in silence, with only two allocated toilet breaks throughout the day.

“Astrea’s new rules are now having a significant negative impact on kids’ education, social skills, mental and emotional wellbeing.”

Astrea took over the school – then known as Dearne Advanced Learning Centre – in 2019 after Ofsted inspectors gave a ‘requires improvement’ verdict, the education watchdog’s second-lowest rating.

According to Ofsted, more than 1,100 pupils are currently on its roll.

A spokesperson for Astrea Academy Dearne confirmed some ‘new routines’ have been implemented.

They told the Chronicle: “It is our priority to continue to improve our school culture, and that means being really clear about our expectations of and for our students inside and out of the classroom.

“The vast majority of our students are respectful, responsible and work hard whilst at school, but it is important we continue to raise our standards for the benefit of everyone.

“That’s why we have introduced some new routines and policies that maximise learning time and ensure a calm, safe and purposeful environment, where all our students can learn and all our teachers can teach, free from disruption.

“The partnership between us, our students and their families is essential to this, and that’s why we have communicated these changes clearly prior to the end of the summer term, as well as inviting parents into school to discuss this directly with us.”