Teaching at The Alice Smith School

The following was sent in by a reader of this blog:

Steve Caulfield (incredibly still) the principal of Alice Smith Primary School, once told one of his management team:

"I'm not bothered what you teach them; the curriculum takes second place. I'm only interested in what it looks like to the parents."

Knowing this, would you send your child to this school?

Perhaps the school's mission statement should read:
"The school exists to provide the highest standards of British Speciousness in an international context."

A moral issue?

Three years ago, all members of staff received a letter from the board of governors regarding the children of unmarried teachers. In this letter the governors stated that they wished to "strongly discourage" unmarried couples from having babies as it was bad for the students' moral wellbeing.
This letter was timed to coincide with the births of two babies to two long-term couples on the teaching staff, causing them considerable distress at what should have been a perfect, happy time.
Not surprisingly, there was outrage among the staff and a large number of parents signed a petition in support of the teachers concerned and wrote letters expressing their concerns over this discrimination. One, appropriately, asked, "Who's next?" and the author pointed out that it was only a short step from here to blackballing teachers on the grounds of their sexuality, religion, race or political beliefs.
Eventually, the governors offered a written apology, of sorts. They did not retract their statements, but simply said they were sorry if anyone had been upset by their views.

School for scandal

A few years ago, Steve Caulfield, headteacher of The Alice Smith School (primary) was discovered having sex with a parent in his office.

Welcome

Welcome to Alice through the magnifying glass, a behind-the-scenes look at The Alice Smith School.