B&NES Council has this week offered advice to parents of children at Academy schools in the area, following reports in recent weeks of alleged teaching unrest at the Academy of Trinity, Radstock.
A spokesperson for the Council said this week: “The Local Authority is aware of allegations and concerns emerging in the media and social media about the Academy of Trinity and some members of the public have made contact with us directly.
“We take seriously any feedback regarding local schools and Academies and will ensure that appropriate action is taken as a result. It is important to clarify that Bath and North East Somerset Council has no direct influence over, or oversight of, the running of Academies.
“The responsible agencies for the running of an Academy are the school’s governing body, who are the normal first point of contact for complaints and concerns.
“Parents can also contact the Regional Schools Commissioner; this agency oversees the standards and performance of all academies. The office of the RSC can be contacted by emailing: [email protected]
“The Education Funding Agency; this agency is responsible for the governance and financial security of all academies. The EFA is part of the Department for Education which can be contacted on: 0370 000 2288.
“Ofsted; which is responsible for the regulation of school standards. Ofsted can be contacted on: 0300 123 4234.
“In relation to Academies, the Council can intervene only where concerns arise about the safety and welfare of children. Anyone with concerns about the safety and welfare of any child should contact the Children and Families Assessment and Intervention Team on: 01225 396312 or: 01225 396313.
“Any concerns that are passed to the Local Authority will be treated sensitively. If the Council receives any information which it believes should be passed on to the Regional Schools Commissioner, Education Funding Agency or Ofsted, the Council will share this with them immediately so that they can take appropriate action.”