Whitehallpark School, Hornsey Lane, London.

[ConcernedparentWPS]

Are there any other parents here that have kids in Whitehall Park School or know of parents from the school? Have you any concerns about behavior in the school? Do you know about behaviors that are happening and being allowed to happen in the school? What are parents thoughts on Senior leadership in the school? The school has had a HUGE turnover of staff since the new head, Sally Raey, started. There has also been a mass exodus of children since Mrs Raey started. I want to know what perceptions are about the school from the community perspective and how much the community actually knows about what goes on behind the doors of the school. My knowledge is that the school as a whole is a huge safeguarding issue just waiting to happen. A child is going to get seriously injured by behaviors that happen and are allowed to happen by SLT. I have removed my children from the school but I want to know if other parents are concerned about what I have been concerned about.

This is interesting to hear as something similar happened about 4 years ago when there was a change of head. The first head teacher they had was excellent but after she left, things went downhill and the change of head resulted in a massive exodus of teachers and a huge amount of children leaving. I'm sorry to hear it's happened again.

Well I’ve heard from a reliable source that Mrs Reay has gotten the sack. Apparently the final straw, in a long long list of failings by her leadership was when two year 6 students ran out of the school during the school day, she wasted time looking around for her umbrella as it was ‘spitting rain’ instead of following the children and guiding them back to school in a timely manner. A huge safeguarding failing. As well as the SENCO had allowed these known to be difficult children passes the same as the adults have, giving them access to all areas of the school including the exit. The mind just boggles. I’m so glad my children are no longer there. I just cannot understand how the school is still open to be honest. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Surely OFSTED must be investigating now.

That is appalling. I think there are serious problems with the trust who run the school and have been for years. I don't think they were supportive of the first (excellent) head teacher and its been downhill since.

I see from the school's website that the head has finally left and the former SENCO is now head, though the trust has also brought in an "executive head" to oversee things. Given that a lot of parents have removed their kids from the school, I wonder how long it can survive?

Well considering the SENCO could barely keep up with her role as SENCO (regularly missing scheduled appointments, not available to
manage behavior of SEN kids for staff, regularly working from home-ridiculous for a SENCO to do) I don’t know how she expects to do the role
of Head of School and SENCO. The executive head that the trust brought in is also head of another school in the trust, Halley House so he’s going to be splitting his time between both schools. I can’t see it working but I haven’t met anyone from WPS since the change in leadership to comment reliably yet. All I can say is we are still happy with our decision to move schools.