It seems like years ago when I took the above photograph, and indeed Chapter’s successor-in-title the Strood Academy is worlds away from its predecessor, it would seem.

Chapter may as well have never existed – its former existence has been wiped off of the planet. Its replacement assumed control of everything – right down to the awards ceremony for Chapter’s last examination entrants.

From the outside it even looks as if they did not even afford the decency of inviting former Chapter headteacher Miss Dore to the awards ceremony – I don’t know for definite, but I certainly know she was not there. Either way, the Strood Academy stopped her from coming!

The former Chapter domain name (chapterschool.co.uk) now points to the website of a language school in London. Chapter Business & Enterprise College is dead.

So too should be Strood Academy – or at least I think. Despite continually supporting the principle (which, by the way, I still do!), the highly originally-named Strood Academy has – without a shadow of a doubt – got to be the single biggest mistake ever to be committed by Medway Council.

The benefit of hindsight is a wonderful thing, and so I acknowledge immediately those parents and teachers who wished to maintain the status quo – those parents and teachers who were right all along. Those parents and teachers who are now witnessing dissent on an unprecedented scale – from students and teachers alike.

For since it opened its doors in September – just three months ago – students have had almost daily fights and staged a protest – and even one student has decided that being stabbed on the way home from school was the last straw (well, can you blame her?).

A Facebook page setup for students to register their dissent and opposition to the controversial academy was forced to close by Principal Richard Hart and the student who created it was “severely” reprimanded. Well, no-one silences AlanWCollins, and, as regular readers will be all too aware, I’m not afraid of speaking my mind.

Now, I don’t know much about Mr Hart, but it seems he gets plenty of column inches in the local media to defend the scores of recent bad press (which, thank you for your patience, I am coming to), yet when the Strood Academy spin machine wheeled out a PR masterpiece on a recent activity day for students, no mention was made of the Principal, with his junior taking the quote.

Once again, from the outside, it looks as though the Principal is losing his grip on control just months after he first took the reigns. If some of the teachers don’t want to teach there anymore, why should the pupils want to learn? That may not be his fault in the first instance, but, if my sources within the school are correct and there are still teachers who are not willing to be there, why has he not fixed the problem already? Is he not fit for the job?

First, 14 year-old Jade Sullivan was stabbed whilst walking home from Strood Academy (though not, it would seem, with a knife). Jade later told the Medway Messenger that after the attack, she could bear no more at the academy.

Then, the following day, a 20-strong group of year 10 and 11 girls staged a sit-in protest after an apparent rise in fights and racist attacks.

Student Amy-May Fowle told the Yourmedway newspaper that “The fights are just getting unbearable – there’s two or three a day on the field. The teachers don’t want to teach – it’s a complete nightmare. We never wanted to be here. We just want to go back to our old school. There’s no control here – the kids just do want they want.”

Her classmate, Sam Gardner, agreed, claiming that a year seven Polish boy had been hospitalised after suffering “a broken nose, jaw and ribs”.

Teachers agreed. One of them went on to tell BBC South East Today that “It is definitely fair to say Temple (the boys’ school merged with Chapter girls’ school to form the academy) had some behavioural issues, issues that happen every day in schools in Medway. The current issues are brand new territory. All of the present problems that are happening within Strood Academy are due to out-of-control year 11 girls and year seven boys.”

Mr Hart’s response was that “I want pupils and staff to feel safe and happy while at Strood Academy. Strood Academy is sensitive to bullying issues and we have a range of effective responses and proactive strategies in place to deal with any issues that may arise. Parents can talk to senior members of staff about the curriculum and any other concerns they have during fortnightly open surgery sessions. Nearly 70 per cent of parents attended our first year 10 open evening last week and the feedback was very positive. I have an open door policy and encourage staff, students and parents to let me know about any issues they have. I’ve not received any complaints or concerns about bullying and would ask anyone who has any concerns to contact me as soon as possible so any issues can be resolved.”

If it was one incident, it would not be that unusual. If it was two incidents, it could pass of as a coincidence. In reality, it is a constant flow of incidents stemming from the same source: the poorly-managed merger between Chapter and Temple to create the over-hyped, badly-managed Strood Academy.

As with all waters flowing from the same source it all leads to the same place. The one obvious conclusion.

Strood Academy is the biggest mistake Medway Council has made since its inception.

Something needs to be done now for the sake of the students.

Before it’s too late.

Related posts

1. End of an era: last day for last ever Chapter School Year 11s
2. Strood Academy Principal defends pupils
3. New Brompton Academy?
4. The authority on the New Brompton Academy?
5. That “wonderful” moment