School apologises for sudden teacher changes at end of term
Hapton Primary School has apologised to its parents and pupils over late changes to its teaching staff - Credit: Archant © 2008
A village school has apologised to pupils and parents after informing them of changes to its teaching staff on the final day of term.
Parents at Hapton Primary School did not learn who will be teaching their children in September until 1pm on Friday, July 22, the last day of the school year.
The school is part of the Saints Federation with two others - All Saints in Winfarthing and St Andrew's in North Lopham - with the three schools sharing one executive headteacher.
Parents at Hapton had expected the school's two classes to be led by the same two, long-serving teachers, from the next term.
However, after the personal circumstances of some of its teachers changed, the federation was forced to make a late reshuffle and move the two teachers to St Andrew's.
Rhiannon Price, executive headteacher of the schools, has apologised for the short notice, but parents have spoken of their disappointment.
Nicole Ollett, who has three children at the school - Finlay (nine), William (seven) and Rowan (five) - said: "My children were really quite upset.
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"If the changes needed to happen, they needed to happen, but children have to be more prepared for such a big change."
But Miss Price said the federation could not have given greater notice due to the unexpected nature of the changes.
Miss Price said: "We always aim to be open and transparent with our planning.
"As the summer term came to a close, we made sure each pupil knew who would be teaching them in September.
"Unfortunately this year, late on Wednesday, July 20, we were informed of some unexpected changes in the personal circumstances of several of our teachers of such a nature that our previous plans could no longer work.
"Our staff worked hard to put together a new plan, of which we then informed pupils and parents as soon as it was in place.
"We do want to apologise to pupils and parents for the short notice they were given; it is not how we would have wanted to make the change.
"All other arrangements for pupils – the school they will attend, the classes they will be in and the friends they’ll be learning alongside – remain the same, and we know our teachers will give every pupil a very warm welcome when they return from the summer holidays.”
