TO MANY Gable Hall observers the relationship between the headteacher Dr Sophina Asong and staff, parents, governors and students has never been a totally harmonious one.
Then again, following John King MBE has never been an easy act to follow. And it cannot have been easy when it was believed that you were not Mr King’s number one choice to succeed him.
Since becoming headteacher in 2011, there have been a number of stories that seem to have set Dr Asong on a collision course with parents.
The most high profile one was the case of two students suspended after a charity headshave.
But since the good doctor’s appointment in 2011 there seems to have been an atmosphere of discontent from teachers who have departed, teachers who remain as well as parents and pupils.
Now parents can be a fickle lot and Corringham parents can be a really really fickle lot and a lot of issues in Corringham do tend to end up surrounded by rancour and bitterness (see Corringham market for instance) but that does not make them wrong.
And Dr Asong is not in a popularity contest.
The bottom line is that Gable Hall is still the number one choice for parents in the east of the borough. 241 put the school down as the first choice compared to 223 who chose St Cleres and a woeful and worrying 52 who chose Hassenbrook.
Their GCSE results have improved year on year. In 2011, they gained 5 A* to C including English and Maths. In 2012, that increased to 70% and in 2013 that result went up even further to 73%.
Imagine if that was the England football team? Ticket sales are going through the roof, they are winning every match and yet people are not happy with the manager’s approach?
The latest issue surrounds a plan by the school to change its pupils’ lunchtimes.
Gable Hall School is proposing lunch breaks are split in two. Seems a minor thing and yet 450 have signed a online petition and there is a furious debate on social media sites (yep that one).
Yes, the comments on the petition are somewhat emotional but as one parent told us: “These are the day to day issues that concern young children. They don’t care about statistics and entry rolls. They just want to sit next to their friends”
But having spoken to parent, teachers and governors, there is a definite sense that this is much much more to do than just a re-organisation of a lunch rota and more to do with a fundamental schism between Dr Asong and everyone else.
The whole case may be symptomatic of modern education where a head teacher is elevated to the role of a chief executive officer, running a quasi-private company and exercising authority in a dogmatic and dictatorial way.
But maybe this is just a go ahead and assertive teacher whose “omlette-crack eggs” approach will improve results, facilities and life chances for the Corringham community.
The parents will get an opportunity to have their say on Tuesday June 24th at 5pm. It does clash with an England game but it looks like that is not so important anymore!
But as they say in football circles, you can have all the plans you like but when you lose the dressing room….
YT did invite Dr Asong to comment on her stewardship but we had not received a reply at the time of publication.
She does seem to want to keep all complaints in house.
I have after a serious complaint found that the children involved were put in isolation for the day, when in fact the police should have been involved. This punishment seems to be petered out for all occasions, I was informed the kids laugh at it and think its great. Not good news for anguished parents.
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Gable Hall has become a disgrace under her. I have friends that have worked at the school and they are great teachers, but now great teachers who are actively looking or have gone on to other jobs. She has a very unhappy teaching staff – many openly criticise her – the staff that I knew have all left. Not strong enough behaviour policies yet bleats on about how Gable is an ‘outstanding’ school. It’s already been downgraded once by OFSTED under her stewardship to ‘good’ – what next ‘special measures?’. A very frustrated parent here!
The board of governors ignored john kings advice when they appointed her and perhaps now they need to finally start listening to the fact there are serious problems with her leadership. from the exodus of teaching staff to unhappy students and parents who are subjected to her my way or the highway attitude which alienates them. Are the board of governors even aware of all the complaints there have been over her leadership and how unhappy the teaching staff pupils and parents are. something needs to be done.
also are parents aware, she has scrapped sports day for year 10’s,if you get under 95% attendance or two grades under what you are supposed to get you will not be allowed to go to prom. She has scrapped work experience, she has banned non uniform day.and that’s in the last couple of months need I say more
As a former staff member, I can confirm that what is said about Dr Asong is true. She has made the school a miserable and extremely frustrating place to work. The pressure placed on staff to achieve results by any means (read into that what you will) is immense. Staff there feel under-valued and almost everyone is looking to leave. All Dr Asong cares about is doing everything for as cheaply as possible. She will only give term contracts and so job security is non-existent. As I heard her say once “everyone is replaceable”. Sophina has little or no emotional intelligence and cannot see the error in her ways. I urge you all to continue the battle that I unfortunately could not stand anymore when I left.
A Headteacher’s job is just like a Premiership League football manager’s today…and in terms of employment security, equally precarious!
Alas, Schools have nothing to do with ‘education’ anymore! They are simply involved in a results business that ultimately, determines the league table position.
It’s not how the game is played (bland teaching to the test will do), as long as you win and secure points (‘qualifications’ not ‘education’).
Arguably, Dr Asong, could be compared to David Moyes at Manchester Utd. She has the right credentials, but just doesn’t fit in, suit the place and won’t be accepted by the ‘supporters’!
They both had hard acts to follow (John King OBE – Sir Alex Ferguson)! But ultimately, I predict both to suffer the same fate and leave for a different ‘club’!
Agreed….time for a change and quick!
Be careful what you wish for.
Are you serious The school is going to pot and no one is prepared to stand up and say how it is. The lunch Break is just the tip of iceberg.Are you actually aware of what is happening within the school. The moral is at an all time low. Nearly all the original teaching staff have left because they can no longer tolerate the headmistresses attitude of its my way and nothing else.Teachers are not listened to and are now only on short term contracts.as in the heads own words everyone is replaceable. The canteen staff who disagree with the implementation of this and know it wont work cannot sign a petition against it as they are being monitored again short term contracts. Work experience is no longer available as in the heads words no one wants to work in Tesco’s. Your child wont be going to prom unless they have 95% attendance gain 20 house points to do this you gain 5 points per 34 after school clubs you attend and must achieve your predicted grade or you don’t get to go. Don’t believe me ask the pupils who have left this year and are excluded. Year 10’s won’t be getting a sports day this year as the head has cancelled it. All the other years get there sports day. She is forcing teachers to just teach and push what will get exams results without a though for whether the children are actually learning. for example a certain language class hasn’t had a teacher since Easter. They only have 4 weeks to prepare for a oral exam and the teacher said you don’t need to know Spanish you just need to know enough to get you through the exam and I have been told to just teach you the sections needed to pass this exam. Also making gcse pe pupils take rounder’s and then saying your doing this because its easy and you can get a 10 for it. what is the point in having options. when the head is dictating to the teachers what you are to do so the school get results and looks fantastic. But at what cost to the detriment of the staff and pupils enough said. The governors really need to step up and sort this out
Parents are free to apply for a place for their child in other schools if they do not have confidence in the schools leadership. I wonder how many parents would consider that option. Probably none. If you feel so strongly aboutthiswhy don’t you exercise your right to withdraw your child from Gable?. A hatful of GCSE results against a chat at lunchtime. A no brainer I think. Maybe not. Go on start a revolution.