THE headteacher at a borough secondary school has responded to online criticism after a social media firestorm around issues at her academy.

Sally Feeney, head at Stanford-le-Hope's Hassenbrook Academy, elected to speak to Thurrock Nub News in the wake of dozens of negative posts on a variety of local social media sites over disciplinary issues at the school.

Initially, last week, a parent asked for views on the school, which resulted in a crescendo of critical comments about the school's management.

Among those who spoke up were students currently studying at the school – and that landed them in hot water with Mrs Feeney when they returned today (Monday, 5 February).

A series of face-to-face meetings appear to have failed to resolve issues and a number of pupils were give a day's isolation.

Isolation is the process by which schools can adopt a policy which allows disruptive pupils to be placed in an area away from other pupils for a limited period, in what are often referred to as seclusion or isolation rooms.

However, rather than ease the situation, further parental intervention followed with a number of parents taking their children out of the school, with more critical comments being posted.

Hassenbrook is currently being administered by the Ortu Federation, which also runs neighbouring Gable Hall School.

Both secondary schools have had poor Ofsted performances in recent years, resulting in government intervention and Ortu will shortly be replaced by the Hackney-based Mossbourne Federation as the over-arching managerial body.

CEO of Mossbourne Peter Hughes visited Hassenbrook last year to interact with parents.

In October the CEO of Mossbourne Peter Hughes visited Hassenbrook and Gable Hall for a series of meetings with parents, through they were sparcely attended.

In November Ofsted inspectors reported they had retained Hassenbrook's overall rating of 'requires Improvement' but they did highlight improvements. 'Quality of education' and 'Behaviour and attitudes' were rated 'Requires improvement' with 'Good' verdicts returned on 'Personal development' and 'Leadership and management'.

In the wake of today's criticism of Hassenbrook Mrs Feeney issued a short statement saying pupils were breaching an agreed code of conduct.

She told Nub News: "We have a home school agreement which is on our website and parents are agreeing to sign up to when they send their children to Hassenbrook Academy.

"Under parent-school communication it states 'if I have any concerns, I will seek a meeting and address these directly to the school so that they can be resolved precisely and accurately'.

"On the pupil part of the agreement, it states 'I will be an ambassador for Hassenbrook Academy within our community and in any online activity.' 

"Any parents who wish to raise any issues may do so via the usual channels and our complaints policy is on the website."

However, there appears to be considerable remaining disquiet among some parents who believe the school has too long a track record of failure on in-school disciplinary issues.

One, who believes her son has been unfairly treated and victimised, told Nub News: "This needs to be investigated with urgency as there is many children past and present that have suffered enormously and left with their mental health in tatters with no education going forward."