Bolingbroke Academy Locked

[janee]

Teaching blind obedience to rules which are about power, rather than common sense, is not education. Education is about teaching why things rules and what the benefit is. Clearly this is not the case here - this is simply about control and should have no place in education - I speak as a retired teacher and assistant head.

[moncher12]

You'll find that the parents of children excelling at the school will jump to their defence because the experience they have of the school is amazing. They're schmoozed.

On the other hand, speak to parents who have complained or have been treated unfairly and you will see a very different iron and ice cold approach.

The headmistress and her staff answer to no one but themselves. They do as they like depending on how they feel about the child and how well they perform for their school. If you think this is a strict school you're very wrong. It is only strict for some. Much gets tolerated if you're from the side of the tracks and the right family.

If your child is going to stay there, don't make a fuss. The approach is 'man up' be screamed at, accused sometimes wrongly, slagged off by teachers in front of your classmates, dished out detentions.

The detention system clearly does not work. If it worked, the children would feel deterred to misbehave but they don't. The answer is they will get a detention and they simply sit the detention. Nothing is being resolved or learned or managed but the school insists of it as it makes them look 'strict'.

They don't use common sense such as to treat young people with respect to earn respect and demonstrate a good atmosphere.

All the good teachers leave or will be leaving and many of them do not agree with the way Ms Edis runs things.

[schoolgatesmum]

Janee and moncher12 - do you actually have children at Bolingbroke Academy? It is very easy to make sweeping statements about a school based on hearsay. I hear plenty of things about other schools but I tend to take them with a pinch of salt rather than spreading malicious gossip.

[storm35]

I dont have children at Bolingbroke but I do have children in the feeder school who will be moving to a state secondary in a couple of years plus, and I live round the corner from the school.. therefore I am very interested in Bolingbroke. Obviously something is amiss with the disciplinary procedures at the school, this is not the first time this has come up and we dont hear it being discussed of other schools. My cousin took her daughter out because she was very unhappy, I know parents who tell very similar stories regarding detentions being handed out like sweets. I have seen the children having to line up and check whether their name is on a detention list BEFORE they are allowed out of the gate to go home each night (this was admittedly a year ago, I dont know if they still do this). Why should a good kid have to do this? Whether we are parents or not, I think the school needs to look at what they are doing because they are putting people off the school, not just me but quite a few of my mum friends also. Whether this is a true picture of the school or not I dont know but why does this keep coming up just with Bolingbroke. I went to their open evening last year and the Head didnt even take questions at the end of her speech.

[moncher12]

Schoolgatesmum; No I would not send my children here.

I have become close with many parents from the school and know many of their issues due to my husband and our friends whose children attend the school, some have left.

Which part of what I have said is malicious gossip?

[schoolgatesmum]

This moncher12:
“All the good teachers leave or will be leaving and many of them do not agree with the way Ms Edis runs things”.

I have been at the school for 5 years now. The majority of teaching staff are excellent. There are still many teachers at the school who started in the first couple of years. They are enthusiastic, dedicated and give so much to the students.

We all make our own decisions on where to send our children - there is no school which suits everyone. I am very happy with the school as are many of my childrens’ friends and my friends’ children. There have been some children who have left but equally we have had children join because they were at a school that did not work for them (state and private) and are now happier at Bolingbroke than their previous school.

It can be very frustrating when people post things about your own school which you know are not the real picture. I remember a thread a while back saying awful things about Chestnut Grove students and thinking how upset you would be as a parent. Yes there are some people who are not happy but I think the vast majority are pleased with the school - their children feel safe, they enjoy being at school and they are learning.

[PattyGno]

I have two boys at Bolingbroke, one in Y11 and one in Y7 - They do get some detentions but not many and don't seem to bother by them, as most of the time they know they have done something wrong.
Personally, I don't even want to know what the reason is every time, unless it becomes recurrent or it's a long detention. In that case, I email the school, who will explain. Often, if it's serious, they call me, but it has only happened once.

I sympathise with those parents and children, don't get me wrong, but if these children get lots of detentions and most don't, I am sorry but those children have to learn the basic rules on how to behave at school, especially in class. It is not that difficult.

Kids of that age push the boundaries and hate to follow rules, it's a tough lesson to learn, I am afraid.

There are so many positives with the school, the level of teaching is fantastic, having a child going through GCSEs right now.

If we want to spend all the time talking about discipline at Bolingbroke, I think we are not doing any favour to a great local school!

[onthecommon]

All,

If you want to understand what the school is really about please read a couple of the Courageous Hound Newsletters which come out on a fortnightly basis.
These newsletters let you know what the school does week in,week out for all the children.
http://arkbolingbrokeacademy.org/Newsletters

These, if you have time to read a few, give you a much better insight to what really goes on. They have discussed discipline at times, outcomes of Parent Surveys and all the activities the children do.

My advice is always talk to the school if you have issues.

[Kiche]

I have had two children go through Bolingbroke and it’s one of the greatest regrets of my life - with no exaggeration - that I did not move them to a different school when I had the chance. The school evidently works for some children who have the right (obedient, hard-working) personality to thrive there. I think it made both my children deeply unhappy for many years . I do not want to spread malicious rumours or give the school a bad press, but it is clearly not right for some. There are some wonderful staff there but the ethos is just too oppressive for some children.

[PatriciaMorse]

All I can add is that if any parent wants to make a difference or be heard, the correct forum is the school PTA meeting. The next one is at 7.30pm on Thursday 8th March at the school. I was truly disgusted at the low turn out at the last 2 - and get sickened by people moaning publicly but not where it can make a difference (ie: email the correct person at the school or turn up to the school meetings). Nothing will ever change if no one comes to the meetings to give their opinion.

I hope to see more of you at the meeting - especially those who aren't happy!

[moncher12]

This is exactly what I mean.

The OP asked for opinions, of people who go to the school and those who know people who go to the school.

You'll find the ones who have had an excellent smooth time at the school with all the schmoozing they do cannot accept or listen to the bad experiences without feeling attacked.

The reality is you should not question this school or bring to light its weaknesses because as a parent (as is the experience of a friend) you or your child will be penalised for it.

Wake up and smell the coffee, there are issues that threaten the well being of children here and the way children are treated if they don't fall in to the 'acceptable' category, be it because of their connections or their high acheievements- is disgraceful.

I also have issues with other schools, no school is perfect however to brush it under the carpet is not the answer.

[storm35]

As I cant personally attend being a prospective parent, maybe you could bring up the fact that their disciplinary procedure is being raised fairly frequently on social media and is of a concern to prospective parents. The school is gaining a reputation for being too strict and trigger happy with detentions to the extent that it is making some children miserable and is inconsistent. We all want Bolingbroke to succeed, you only have to look at the surrounding primary schools to see how much parents are willing to participate and try to contribute to the success of the schools. However in my circle, there is a genuine suspicion of what goes on there, and whether our children would be happy - and as I said previously, Bolingbroke is the only school where discipline is discussed to this extent. My own are very well behaved but my son can be a bit absent minded. He wouldnt hurt a fly and is extremely polite but I can imagine him forgetting to button up his jacket or something. I dont want to send him to a school where he gets detentions for that as it would demoralise him hugely so right now Bolingbroke is not an option for me. Schools are not armies, I dont care how tough life lessons have to be according to PatGno (I actually disagree with that generalisation), children thrive when they are heard.

[tess73]

Ok, I'll bite... Moncher12, you asked which part of your post was malicious gossip (as a non-Bolingbroke parent who moved to Nappy Valley from the US in Autumn 2017, from the looks of it).

So to clarify you asserted that the Bolingbroke:

1. 'Schmoozes' parents of academic or ‘right side of the tracks’ children – quite a nasty accusation.

2. Reacts in an ‘iron and ice cold’ way to complaints - I don't think you can possibly say this with any real authority, not having children at the school, and therefore never having made a complaint!

3. Has a headmistress and staff who answer to no one but themselves, and do as they like depending on how they feel about the child - again a pretty horrible accusation, how do you know this?

4. Has children who are screamed at, and ‘slagged off’ by teachers in front of their classmates - have you actually seen this? If not, this again would fall under the headline of 'gossip'.

5. Has an issue with all the good teachers leaving (or they will be leaving ) as many of them do not agree with the way Ms Edis runs things - again, how on earth would you know this? This is complete hearsay, and has been refuted by an actual parent at the school on this thread.

I don't have children at the school myself, and welcome a debate about it as my children will soon be of secondary age themselves, and it is one of the schools we are considering, but what you have written, and written with such an authoritative tone of voice, is just downright inflammatory and damaging.

Furthermore, if there is any truth in it, is obviously taken from a very small sample of your friends who are Bolingbroke parents - unless you have come to know a huge proportion of Bolingbroke parents in the short time you have lived in Nappy Valley (unlikely)? I too have a small sample of twenty or so family friends whom I know with kids at the Bolingbroke. One of them has had a bad experience - that's it. But 20 is a very small sample, so I would not claim to 'know' anything in any great depth about the school from that. Especially not repeatedly and not with such an inflammatory tone of voice all over a very popular local forum.

Clearly, no school is going to be right for ALL children. And maybe (I don't know) the Bolingbroke is more suited to the more academic / obedient / resilient kids, but from what I can see, it is a good option for many local families, that wasn't there before; it has done really well in its first lot of exams, and it is striving to do its best for kids from all 'sides of the tracks' (as you put it) in this area, albeit perhaps with a stricter disciplinary system than some would like.

Judith, I am sorry to hear of your bad experience with the school - I hope you get it resolved. As Patricia has said upthread, probably better to talk directly to your grandsons' teachers or attend the PTA meetings, than stir up this kind of negativity all over local social media. I don't think anyone can give you the answer you want here.

[judiblackstone]

Thank you for this. I had no idea it would prove so controversial. All I really wanted was feedback as to whether other children were having the same issues as we are!

[myview]

I'm sorry to hear that your grandson has been having such a tough time. I would definitely talk to his tutor. I am also saddened to hear such negative comments about Bolingbroke. I have an extremely sensitive son there who has special needs and have always found the teachers at the school to be hugely support, kind and willing to help. No school is for everyone but I do know many happy children there.