Report reveals majority of parents believe governance at West Kirby’s Calday Grange school not up to scratch

Jan 31 2011 By Ben Turner

THE majority of parents at a crisis-hit Wirral school are unhappy at the way it is being governed – according to a shock new report.

Last night, critics said the damning findings of West Kirby’s troubled Calday Grange grammar school’s own probe are likely to heap more pressure on its under-fire governing body.

The dim view of the governing body comes amid ongoing calls from parents for governors to resign over the year-long suspension of headteacher Andrew Hall, who suffered heart failure in April, 2010.

Governors lifted his suspension in November, but then told Mr Hall he will be "re-suspended" and put before a disciplinary panel when he is able to return to work.

He faces 13 allegations, including failure to report a foetus in a jar and claims he was part of a bullying regime.

Now a parental survey has exposed how only a minority of parents think governors are doing a good job. As part of the official feedback exercise, parents were asked whether they believed "the school is well led and well managed by the governing body. Just 3% strongly agreed, while 8% agreed.

A further 40% strongly disagreed, while 23% disagreed, meaning almost two-thirds of parents quizzed did not believe the governors were managing the grammar school well.