Sent to parents and carers on 9/10/24
Respect and Communication
I hope this letter finds you well.
At Westbourne Academy, we are deeply committed to fostering a positive, respectful, and supportive environment for everyone, students, parents, and staff alike. A key value that underpins this commitment is mutual respect, which is essential for maintaining a healthy and productive school community.
As a reminder, in a letter sent during the summer break, we emphasised the importance of Respect and Communication. We expect our academy community to treat each other with respect, and this extends to interactions between staff and parents. While we are committed to working with parents and carers to support their children, we will not tolerate any verbal or aggressive behaviour directed at academy staff. Mutual respect is fundamental to creating a positive and supportive environment for our students.
As parents, we understand how much you care about your children’s education and well-being, and we share that same dedication. We are here to work collaboratively with you to ensure your child thrives both academically and personally. However, for this partnership to be effective, it is vital that all communication between parents and staff remains respectful and constructive.
Recently, there have been instances where our staff have experienced disrespectful or aggressive behaviour from parents or carers during conversations or meetings. While we recognise that emotions can sometimes run high, aggressive behaviour, whether verbal or written, does not lead to positive outcomes. In fact, it only hinders our ability to work together in the best interests of the students.
We kindly remind you that all communication with our staff should be conducted in a civil and respectful manner. Our staff are dedicated professionals who work tirelessly to provide the best possible education and support for your child. Any form of disrespect or aggression towards them will not be tolerated.
Should such behaviour persist or escalate, we may be forced to take formal steps, which could include:
– restricting access to school grounds or events
– limiting communication to written correspondence only
– in extreme cases, seeking legal action to protect the safety and well-being of our staff
We sincerely hope it will not come to this, but these measures may be necessary to maintain a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment for everyone at Westbourne Academy.
Additionally, please note that as a working school, it is not always possible to meet with a member of staff without an appointment. If you need to speak with a teacher or another staff member, we kindly ask that you arrange an appointment in advance. This will ensure staff can provide the attention and support you need, while continuing to manage their daily responsibilities.
We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring that we maintain a respectful, safe, and productive atmosphere within our school community.
Kind regards
Mr M Higgon
Principal
Academy vision: Westbourne is an inclusive academy. We support all students, regardless of starting point, to achieve their potential and develop the skills necessary for employment and life.
Academy values: Be Safe, Be Thoughtful, Be Accountable and Be Respectful.
General queries to: wes-office@attrust.org.uk or 01473 742315
Attendance or Absence queries to: wes-attendance@attrust.org.uk
Exam queries to: anna.fulcher@attrust.org.uk
Online payments and data information queries to: wes-data@attrust.org.uk
SEND queries to: opal.degville@attrust.org.uk