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I have today in the course of a few hours today received two letters that highlight the sense of turmoil in the KCSP. Since publishing my original article just a week ago, there have been over 6000 visitors to the page (up 1500 since this morning!), the largest response in such a short time for years.
The first is a letter sent to headteachers and other senior school postholders in the Partnership, informing them that the Board has commissioned an evaluation of how the Partnership is performing. Apparently, it is of paramount importance to learn how the schools themselves see the Partnership, although one of my informants queries why the question has not been asked before. Why now is I think fairly obvious.
The second is a letter sent to parents and carers at St Thomas Catholic Primary School, Sevenoaks. This informs them that Mrs Aquilina, the headteacher, is on Special Leave until the end of the academic year as their ‘Immediate priority as a Trust must be the children and staff of St Thomas’.
Both of these follow my recent article entitled: ‘Kent Catholic Schools Partnership: An Unholy Row in Holy Quarters’ which has also attracted a large number of thoughtful and pertinent comments on both issues. In six days, it has attracted thousands of visitors and still rising.
It is noticeable that neither letter is signed by the Chief Executive of KCSP, who is on long term 'unexpected absence' but both by the Chair of the Trust Board, Mike Powis. I have had correspondence with various educationalists associated with KCSP and past and present parents of St Thomas’. Whilst the former are self-selecting, there is a consistent view about the problems of the Partnership, focusing on the attitudes and actions of the CEO, several of which are outlined in my previous article. Although there are some families very loyal to St Thomas’, a very significant minority are articulate in concerns about the headteacher and the involvement of her husband in the affairs of the school, dating back several years. What I find unusual this time round is that the normal sense of loyalty that binds Catholics together appears to have fractured, indicating the level of concern felt by so many and underlined by the number and depth of comment on my previous article.
The letter explains that the members of the Partnership Board:
have our own sense of how the Partnership is performing, but of paramount importance to the Board are the views from the schools themselves. The aim of the evaluation project is to secure a better understanding of what those views are. St Mary’s will be looking at the extent to which the KCSP Directors, the Central Team and the Partnership are effectively: • providing strategic leadership and operational guidance to the schools within the Partnership • supporting schools better to serve the needs of their pupils and staff |
The programme will start next week so there is a clear sense of urgency. There is a major concern about this 'paramount concern' of which, apparently, there has previously been little evidence. Any sense of Partnership has been secondary to the drive from the centre which created the two major issues described previously, along with others.
This is a high performing primary school, perhaps not surprising given its location, with the highest percentage in the county of pupil success in the 2018 Kent test at 68%. In most years it just about fills its 30 places; for 2020 six first choices were disappointed.
There have been aspects of the leadership concerning at least a significant minority of parents for some years, including the influence in the school of the husband of headteacher Mrs Aquilina, who is vicar of the Catholic parish of Westerham and Biggin Hill. I do not consider it appropriate to outline the details of the alleged safeguarding incident that has brought the issues to a head, except to observe that is not of the common nature of such allegations relating to personal relationships. However, if it is as described to me it, would represent a serious breach of both safeguarding legislation and of lockdown requirements. There is also a separate allegation.
I have seen many letters to parents explaining the absence of headteachers, but not one before that explains in such clarity that it is because ‘Our immediate priority as a Trust must be the children and staff of St Thomas’. Mrs Aquilina is now ‘on special leave until the end of the academic year’, presumably whilst an investigation takes place into the circumstances.
In the meantime, an Acting Headteacher has been brought in to run the school in her absence. He is Mr Chris Wright, currently Executive Principal of: St Gregory's Catholic Primary, Margate; St Joseph's Catholic Primary, Broadstairs; & St Mary's Catholic Primary, Whitstable, all within KCSP. Staff at the school have been told that any approach to them by Mrs Aquilina should be reported immediately to senior staff without exception.