Headteacher hits back after parents claim SEND children are not supported at High Peak school rated 'good' by Ofsted

But headteacher Jayne Mercer refutes the allegations made by parents.

In the report from Ofsted, it states the proportion of pupils with SEND ‘has increased since the previous inspection’.

The inspector said: “The school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

“It provides effective support to pupils with SEND who achieve well.

“SEND pupils are inspired to write using the new vocabulary they have read.

“Support for pupils with SEND ensures they engage well with school life.”

However, many parents disagree.

Commenting on the Buxton Advertiser’s post Jane Doyle said: “I’m feeling absolutely drained from the stress that follows on from this school.

“I will say it again please think twice before sending your SEND children to this school.”

Another parent Sarah-Beth Lewis-Porter said: “The amount of permanently excluded SEN children clearly haven’t been taken into account.”

Nikki Maynard claimed the school had sent SEND children home on the day of the Ofsted visit.

Mum Lara Ransom who had to take her SEND child out of Fairfield Endowed said: “If your child has no special educational needs then they will do ‘ok’.

“Anyone else might as well just set them up to fail.

“A lot of the support staff are amazing and I can’t fault them. It's the headship and higher up staff that are embarrassing to the school.

“The school has one of the highest exclusion rates for a junior school.

“They are happy to take large amounts of SEN children’s money through Educational Health Care Plans but then not provide what’s stated within the legal document and exclude the child when they don’t have their needs met.”

Headteacher Jayne Mercer has defended the school and the SEND provision.

She said: “We refute the allegations made about the school by a small number of parents and we are pleased with the Ofsted judgement that our school is ‘good’.

“Ofsted inspections are a stringent and highly professional process which look at every aspect of school life.

“These inspections are also quality assured before being published.

“We can categorically state that children with SEND were not told to ‘not come in’ during the Ofsted inspection.

“Any absences during that period were for legitimate reasons and these were looked at as part of the standard inspection process.

“We use all the money we are given under EHCPs for the education and care of the child that the money is for.

“One to one support for pupils is only available where we have the funding to do that or for specific provision/intervention which require one to one.

“We do all we can to keep parents and carers updated.

“Our Ofsted report stated that ‘Many parents and carers appreciate the good quality of good education the school provides however, some do not fully appreciate the school’s many strengths’.”

“We continue to be satisfied that the Ofsted Inspector saw the true nature and strengths of our school.

“Our parents and carers all know that my door is always open should they have any concerns.”