Academy teachers claim staff divide exists at Croydon school
EXCLUSIVE
By Lucy Buckland
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"DIVIDED": Harris Academy Purley
lucy.buckland@essnmedia.co.uk
Teachers at one of Croydon's newest academies have claimed there is a divide at the school.
The Advertiser has been contacted by five members of teaching staff from the Harris Academy Purley over the last week.
They claim that morale is at rock bottom and that some staff have had to go on long-term sick leave due to the pressure.
The teachers claim they have been forced to cover up to eight extra lessons a week because of the number of people off sick.
Under Government legislation introduced this academic year, teachers should only cover other staff's lessons in unforeseen or exceptional circumstances.
When the Advertiser contacted head teacher Carol-Anne Alcock late last week, she denied staff were being used as routine cover.
But by Monday, the Advertiser had learned that paid supply teachers had been drafted in for the first time this year.
One teacher, who has handed in her notice, said: "The atmosphere at the school is horrible, everyone is working incredibly long hours and feels incredibly stressed out."
When the Harris Federation took over Haling Manor, in South Croydon, in the summer all teachers who chose to stay on were offered the choice of remaining on local authority contracts for three years, or switching to the academy version, which involved working longer hours.
It is understood that staff were offered an immediate £1,500 bonus if they switched.
The Advertiser has been contacted by staff who chose not to sign the academy contract.
Mrs Alcock was credited with turning around the fortunes of troubled Selsdon High when she spent a year at the school, starting in September 2008.
The school had a reputation for ill-discipline and her tougher approach was welcomed by parents and even pupils.
She has been head of Harris Academy Purley since September 2009 and, again, her stricter approach won early praise.
But when our reporter spoke to Mrs Alcock and outlined the teachers' feelings, Mrs Alcock would not make any public response to the claims.
The academy added that it would not comment on the way the school was run.
8 Comments
by Parent of Harris Academy Purley students, SW16
Monday, May 10 2010, 1:50PM
“Regretably as a parent, I have to say that I have also encountered a high handed approach from some members of teaching staff. I'm concerned that some of the teachers appear to be being overworked and somewhat taken for granted, and that Ms Alcock seems to believe that she is unaccountable.”
by Sharon, Croydon
Wednesday, May 05 2010, 12:56PM
“There are lies, damned lies and then there are statistics”
by V.Hunter, South Croydon
Monday, May 03 2010, 12:59PM
“Fail to do well ?
Read my comment on 1st May !
Exam results are mostly dependent on the academic ability of the pupils.
Academies results go down as well as up. Harris Academy Peckham's (still National Challenge) 5 GCSEs A-C including English/Maths, went DOWN last summer from 29% to 26%, and Harris Girls Academy East Dulwich, although on the website said, up from 42% to 51%, according to Dcsf verified figures they WENT DOWN to 38% ! Some difference !
There are many reasons why pupils are unable to get 5 A-Cs including Eng/Maths.
It is appalling that they (and their schools) are condemned as 'underachieving' (especially by Council Education Hierachy) when they should be praised for the improvement in grades that they have achieved.
For the last 3 years Haling Manor improved their pupils' expectations by increase of 4 to 8 grades. (Top 5% to 3% in the country)
And Science from 27% in 2007 to 75% in 2008 and 94% in 2009.
5 A-Cs 54%, 75%, 79%.
Including Eng/Maths 18%, 25%, 33%.
Therefore nothing to do with threat of closure!”
by Cynthia Williams, Croydon
Sunday, May 02 2010, 5:24PM
“I have a nephew at the Academy. He says teaching has improved a lot, things are more professional and there are less supply teachers and lessons are more interesting. I don¿t know why there is so much fuss about haling manor being so good. When most students fail to do well how can anyone be happy with that? The school was below 30% with English and maths for years and years. It only got above 30% this year when the threat of closure was hung over the management. If that¿s the best they can do they it¿s right somebody else should be given a chance to do it. Thank goodness we have a fresh start, now there is a bit of hope for the youngsters.”
by Fruitbat, South Norwood
Sunday, May 02 2010, 12:08PM
“John Troake was a very underrated head teacher. If he had been allowed to stay and use the almost limitless resources thrown at the school since it has become an Academy I'm sure that it would have been a fantastic school.”
by Janee, London
Saturday, May 01 2010, 10:13PM
“I visited Haling Manor before it became an academy and was very impressed by the behaviour. Students in the corridors were polite and, when I spoke to the student council, the students were sensible and thoughtful. The staff were clearly committed and hardworking.
How sad it is to read that, after all the hype and the money, staff are being pressurised and split now it is an academy. It cost the DCSF about £1 million to do the transfer. Croydon Council, apparently, don't know how much it cost them (despite extra staff and glossy brochures).
It just goes to show that what is promised at public meetings means absolutely nothing. What a waste and what a crying shame.”
by V.Hunter, South Croydon
Saturday, May 01 2010, 9:41PM
“Academies seem to be more interested in raising their statistics than pupils' needs -
e.g. making them compulsorily do coursework and take EXAMS in PE/Sport (BTec Sport being worth 2 GCSEs).
For most pupils, time that could be more usefully spent for their future in this competitive world on academic subjects.
Haling Manor in its final year increased its Science A-C to 94% (higher than all the academies in South London (including Crystal Palace),
and 5 GCSEs A-C to 79%.
The improvement % of 5 A-Cs including English and Maths was higher than the average increase of the 6 Harris Academies, and the CVA for improvement of individual pupils' grades while at the school compared with pupils with similar ability and background at other schools, (in the top 3% in the country the previous year) was even higher - up 8 grades from that expected.
All these improvements WITHOUT stressing out the teachers !”
by Tom, Local
Saturday, May 01 2010, 9:43AM
“How many non-contact periods a week did the said teachers have to be able to lose eight of them?”