Furious parents say they have been frozen out of a crucial vote on changing term dates after the ex-head handed out letters at the school gate.

The decision about the future at Academy of Woodlands in Gillingham is now being made by the governors with all votes cast so far being wiped out.

A letter sent to parents this afternoon, which has been seen by KentOnline, by new head teacher Anne Viney said the "integrity of the consultation has been compromised".

It reads: "The consultation is now closed and all votes will be disregarded.

"The governing body will instead make a strategic decision regarding the term dates at the next full governing body meeting in July.

"Parents will then be informed in writing of their decision to keep the term dates the same or move them back in line with Medway's dates."

It comes after former head Nic Fiddaman, who left the school last year, was at the primary school in Woodlands Road this morning speaking to parents and handing out his own letter in response to consultation plans announced by the school earlier this month.

Mr Fiddaman said he felt the material parents had been presented was "somewhat bias" and did not include "balanced arguments" needed for parents to make a decision.

A parent, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "I am angry and annoyed as I sent my children to the school based on these term times. Holiday has been booked around these times.

"All children at the school started on the new term times so it's not like anyone was unaware.

"The feeling of other parents is both upset anger, shock and frustration and many feel we are not going to be listened to."

Changes made several years ago saw the school shorten its summer holiday to four weeks and increase half-term breaks in autumn and summer to two weeks.

The school leaders had given parents until June 4 to comment on its plans to return the school term dates in line with the traditional dates and six-week summer holidays in place across Medway from September.

Mrs Viney said parents with children at the primary school and older siblings attending secondary schools in Medway were finding it difficult to book family holidays or not having enough time for childcare due to dates not matching up across the Towns.

The document listed eight reasons including:

• parents working in education having further difficulties;
• benefits for Year 6 pupils to have longer break before starting secondary school;
• loss of swimming lessons due to school terms not matching and not being able to participate in sports tournaments outside of Woodland's term time;
• cheaper holidays no longer being available in June due to Covid impact;
• phonics tests taking place later due to dates being outside school's current term dates.

It then listed two reasons against – terms being longer than others and longer summer breaks requiring some parents needing more childcare.

Mr Fiddaman said the phonics tests results posted by the school were among the highest in the country, adding: "Why change a winning formula?"

The former head teacher and chief executive of the Academy of Woodlands trust board said he had asked governors to "address" the bias he identified but had been refused.

He said since 2014, when the shorter summer holidays were introduced, the school had been "the most successful in Medway".

He also told parents 11+ results had improved by 20% during the period and while was "not solely down to the changes" he said he believed there had been an impact.

At its last Ofsted inspection in December 2019, the school was rated good.

Mr Fiddaman said: "It was all about spreading out the children's rest but had the added benefit that we could make each term roughly equal. The children could start each term with a new topic, which they liked.

"With normal school dates terms can range between 4-5 weeks or 7-8 weeks – a big difference.

"Originally, the idea to change the dates came from the children. They told me they were bored during the summer holidays because they were too long."

Parents have taken to social media groups to discuss the plans and school's decision with some in support of changing the dates saying they respected the former head caring for the school enough to write to parents.

KentOnline understands a group of parents has now launched official complaints against the school claiming it is a breach of its own code of conduct.

The school has been approached for comment.

News from our universities, local primary and secondary schools including Ofsted inspections and league tables can be found here.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway