Bexhill High head: "I took my eye off the ball"

Inspectors reported "urgent action" must be taken before the opening of the new 37 million premises in October and said children had not achieved as much as they should.

Executive principal Mike Conn admitted he took his "eye off the ball" while concentrating on the development of the new school and said progress should have been better.

Immediate response from some parents was to demand his departure and speak out against what was described as "a catalogue of constant disaster" including inconsistency in teaching, staff sickness because of stress, failure to educate children to the required level, and problems with recruitment which meant rapid turnover of teachers.

Mum Anita Bromley contacted the Observer to say the report was "fairly damning" and that Mike Conn "should be hanging his head in shame".

She added: "For those of us who have children there, with no option for them to be anywhere else, it is appalling.

"It is awful. It is frustrating. Something has to be done. This can't continue.

"These children in Bexhill are getting a very poor quality education.

"That is just not acceptable."

Her sister Lynne Wilkinson, who also has a child at the school, is urging all current and future students and parents to read the report of the Ofsted monitoring visit for themselves.

She said: "It clearly demonstrates what many of us have known for months... Bexhill children are receiving an inadequate education.

"Without radical reform the new school will simply continue to fail our children and damage their future opportunities."

Having met Mr Conn with her sister during half-term however Anita said she felt encouraged by what was said.

She commented: "It went very well. I think he realises he has major problems to sort out very quickly. He is looking at trying to do something very drastic within the next six weeks and there is a lot riding on it. He wants to turn things around... I hope it works.

"He is aware of how the feeling is with a lot of parents and how the school has failed our children at this time."

Philipa Coughlan believed there was a need for "swift sharp action", and highlighted the "very poor approach to discipline" which she felt was "a huge area of concern", as well as lack of communication with parents.

Betty Stutely contacted the Observer to say: "Mr Conn needs to get his priorities right '“ is he a teacher or a buildings overseer? It seems to be all about empire building and not the pupils' education."

A teacher from Bexhill High said that the school will now be the subect of a full Ofsted inspection because of its "serious shortcomings", and claimed this was because the school is now being viewed "as a failed school".

"We teachers are seriously hampered in our jobs by seriously poor management and many of us struggle against the odds to give of our best to the kids; they deserve better."

Mr Conn this week made himself available to meet with parents and talk through his immediate plans.

He admits there has been anger following the Ofsted monitoring report but he has also received messages of support and encouragement.

"I am not trying to hide away from this," he commented. "I am really upset by it.

"We have screwed up, and some children have suffered as a result, and that is not good enough."

"But the bottom line is this. I did what I thought was right getting the new school for Bexhill High. I gave it my all... but it wasn't backfilled enough, because I should have let someone else run the school instead of leaving a hole there."

He is now back in daily charge and promising to lead the school out of its current crisis, having outlined a strict action plan for the critical weeks ahead which will include bulletins called Let's Do It, so that parents will have regular information and updates on how their child is doing.

Mr Conn has a proven record in working with a troubled school to get it back on track, having achieved this at Thomas Peacock in Rye.

His new strategy will focus on a comprehensive structure of planning and consistency in teaching as well as close monitoring.

"I could walk away," he said. "It's a disaster, so I could walk away '“ but that's not me. I will lead us out of this."

He feels "confident" that the school will get through the immediate problem and said that the staff were "very enthusiastic" about working towards improvement.