Brockhill Park's principal criticises parents for asking too many questions and 'monopolising' teachers' time
12:28, 29 September 2020
updated: 12:29, 29 September 2020
A school leader has hit out at a number of 'demanding' parents who are putting a 'drain' on teachers with their constant questions over Covid-19 measures.
Sonette Schwartz, principal at Brockhill Park Performing Arts College, says staff are 'overwhelmed' by the amount of emails and phone calls form a small minority of parents on a range of matters at the Hythe school.
Ms Schwartz says replying to all the enquiries is now 'getting in the way' of running the school and implementing its coronavirus recovery plans.
The letter added it was 'simply not fair' or 'sustainable' for these parents to 'expect to monopolise so much of school leaders’ and staff time on a regular or daily basis'.
The letter reads: "School leaders on arrival to school in the mornings are finding inboxes overwhelmed by the volume of email correspondence or telephone messages from a very small number of parents requesting urgent information, explanation and frequently demanding immediate contact about a range of matters over which we have either no control, little knowledge or have already provided the relevant information.
"This is simply not sustainable: replying to all this correspondence - again we stress from a very small minority of parents - is both draining and now getting in the way of implementation of our Covid 19 recovery plan and ensuring the smooth running of the school for the whole school community.
"It is quite natural in a community of 1400 students that their families will hold a range of views and needs, but it is simply not fair to the whole school community for such a very small number of parents to expect to monopolise so much of school leaders’ and staff time on a regular or daily basis.
"As we head into what may be a challenging autumn and then winter we and all the staff need to devote our full attention to doing the very best for all the students in our care on a site and in a setting, which we know very well.
"With your support, trust and the space and time to do so we will take the best possible decisions to ensure this school year is as successful as it can possibly be for all our students."
The letter was sent to parents days after Brockhill confirmed a single case of Covid-19 within the school .
It is not known if it was a teacher or pupil who received a positive result for the virus, but anyone who had prolonged contact with them was told to stay home.
A case of Covid-19 was also confirmed at Harvey Grammar School in Folkestone last week.
