I WISH to make a response to the article published in your newspaper on Friday concerning Councillor Tierney and his diabolical, not thought through and inaccurate message concerning the Thomas Clarkson Community College.

I WISH to make a response to the article published in your newspaper on Friday concerning Councillor Tierney and his diabolical, not thought through and inaccurate message concerning the Thomas Clarkson Community College.

Firstly I should say that I have become the newest member of the Governing body, I began this role in June 2010 as I have a son currently attending the school and a daughter who will be attending this school in a few years time. I find the comments of this councillor very disturbing and I am extremely disappointed that yet again the efforts of all the staff, pupils and governors are being trashed by someone who probably has not visited the school or actually read the Ofsted reports he is referring to. I wanted to make a response as a parent and I am hoping that the governing body will be sending him, or the county council a response to his article.

He is a member of the council that has influence over our school with finances and any schemes that would benefit our school. I would also like to say that I attended the school on 24 August 2010 when the pupils received this years GCSE results. These pupils, with the dedication of the staff, have worked hard to achieve the great results and these sort of comments does nothing to help improve the standards of our school.

Miss Strudwick has worked tirelessly with her staff and pupils to improve the school for all concerned. I believe she has done a good job so far. Speaking from my own experience, my son has only flourished since he began at this school. I wanted to help ensure that this carried on, and the only way to ensure that is to be involved. This is why I wished to become a governor. I wish that people in the council, media and some parts of the general public, stop bashing the school and help it to become the school that the staff and pupils wish it to be.

If Councillor Tierney does not wish his son to attend the college, that is his democratic right and he can move to ensure he gets a different school for his child. However, to say that the school is failing, when it is not, only alienates the pupils that are attending the school and makes them believe they cannot achieve, which only makes behaviour worse and makes the schools job harder. I suggest that Councillor Tierney stops hitting the school and to get involved to help improve it. If the school and local authority can work together then this school will only get better. Stop the negative comments and look at what has been achieved and how the school is trying to move forward.

I am quite certain that if Councillor Tierney contacted the governing body and asked to have a look around the school and speak with staff and pupils he would have a different opinion. Whenever I have spoken with members of staff they have only dealt with me and my son in a friendly, professional and courteous manner. My last comments are that the more negative comments made about a school only makes it harder for change to happen. We all know that the school needs change to improve, and this can only be done if the local authority, the school and the community get behind the school and push it forward. Our sons and daughters deserve the best and they need to believe that the community is standing behind them so that they achieve the most out of the education system.

MRS KAREN GOUDE

Parent of a Year 9 boy at Thomas Clarkson