Wednesday 22nd May, 2024

Dear parents/carers,
I am writing to thank those parents that contacted Twynham Learning to raise genuine concerns around the proposed uniform changes for the Stourfield Schools, particularly the short implementation period and potential cost to parents and the school for the uniform changes. We always try to respond to parental concerns, particularly those that use the appropriate pathway of the complaints policy, conduct themselves in a respectful and confidential manner and are willing to work with the school. On this occasion concerns from genuinely worried parents has enabled Twynham Learning to investigate the issues and identify where miscommunication/misunderstandings can be resolved quickly.

The key concerns of:

1. A lack of transition period of 12 months as per the trust policy. This is fully upheld and was an omission in communication; all of the TL Schools have utilised a 12-month transition period and currently operate a hybrid uniform quite successfully. There will be a full 12-month transition period from September for all families who wish to utilise it.
2. Concerns on the use of school funds to pay to cushion the financial impact on parents is also fully upheld. Whilst the ambition from the school leadership had the best of intentions, the 12-month transition period should reduce the impact of the uniform change. Due to parental concern, there will be no school funds committed, maintaining equity across the trust as no other school
   community had any additional financial support. Financial hardship funds remain in place.

However, following the trust investigation there is a need to address the wildly inaccurate and vexatious statements quoted in both published media and social media groups. The following are the key areas which have caused unnecessary upset to both parents and dedicated school staff who have more than enough to
deal with in these challenging times:

• The V neck sweaters selected are a similar price/material to the current uniform and not the knitted wool jumpers as incorrectly stated in The Bournemouth Echo. The amount of £17,000 was wildly inaccurate and untrue.
• A consultation was undertaken in 22/23 across Twynham Learning schools including parents, students, staff, suppliers and a consensus decision was made by leaders across the family of schools. A decision was made by the Stourfield
  schools to defer to focus on building a closer partnership including a federated governance arrangement to recognise the ‘one community’ nature of infant and junior schools.
• the sensationalist statement around uniform ‘going to landfill’ again makes huge assumptions around how parents choose to dispose of current uniform. Many donate to clothes recycling banks and the school were negotiating with
  international partners who would have gratefully accepted donations of any school uniforms.
• books have been donated as a choice of the PTA as they wanted to provide something visible within school. Both Stourfield Infant and Junior Schools hold healthy reserves, manage budgets, receiving over £300,000 from TL in capital
  improvements to buildings, play equipment and IT infrastructure in recent years
• voluntary donations for trips have always been in existence, are a common financial procedure within school budgets the schools are not funded to pay for educational visits. If those that can pay do not choose to, then clearly the trip willnot be viable, hence the reason why the schools use the immediate locality to offer additional learning experiences.
• TL does not make statements to unsolicited requests from the press instigated by the few parents that choose not to abide by trust policy and allow us to properly and correctly confidentially investigate their concerns. We received parental concerns early last week, our priority was to those parents and that was and remained our focus.
• statements in the press around the trust ‘reacting in an underhand way’ is simply not true and is unfounded. Twynham Learning responded to the change in the law, established a common approach and has then provided the freedom to the schools to implement as per their best judgement with light touch oversight as a regulatory body.

From September we will be responsible for over 6000 children, 1000 staff and a significant estate, budget and levels of huge potential risk across many areas. As a public sector institution, we are expected to meet statutory compliance with the law, DfE regulations, hugely variable parental expectations etc. Institutions have rules, policies and expectations and senior leaders are legally entitled and expected to make decisions every day. We do not always get it right, particularly in a period with greater pressures around workload, time and capacity, SEND, persistent social media abuse and increasing unreasonable expectations, but we do try our very best to navigate these perils. We are always grateful for the incredible support that is provided
as we successfully transform our school community providing the very best of future opportunities.

We categorically will not engage with the very small minority of parents that launch ill-informed vexatious campaigns against the school, or utilise the press for self-promotion to state incorrect and often inflammatory comments about school leaders and the school that they chose to place their children in. 
Unfortunately, if we are unable to meet those expectations then we are sorry that you are disappointed and may need to use your parental right of choice to find an alternate provision. These voices do not take priority over the concerns of parents who calmly and reasonably highlighted issues utilising the correct channels. 

Twynham Learning does however agree with one statement in the recent press article “We are rightly upset, disappointed, and angry at the lack of respect and awareness”, perhaps a sentiment that can be reflected on more widely. Surely there is a more decent way to build a community; mutual respect and tolerance? School
and trust staff are people also, with feelings, reputations and families. School leaders genuinely, deeply care for our shared children, your families and the reputation of the school community, many of whom live within the Southbourne community.
Twynham Learning will continue to do its best to improve and develop the schools, we will reflect where we as an organisation, or as flawed individuals get it wrong but also recognise where we know we are absolutely making the right decisions in transforming the schools, as witnessed in the recent SIS Ofsted inspection. We will also as a trust fully support the headteachers in utilising the full extent of their legal powers to protect the school community from influences that do not meet our values as an organisation or wider community.

On behalf of the trust, I genuinely apologise if there has been any unnecessary upset and anxiety around the communication related to the required uniform change or indeed any other issues that may have vexed parents. I am absolutely convinced they are not intentional and will be rapidly addressed. Hopefully the assurance that there will be a 12-month transition without the use of school funds to support the change
should allay many of your fears and concerns. You spoke, we listened and parent voice was heard.

Many thanks to the numerous parents who have approached this in a respectful and reasonable way, have offered solutions and support and demonstrated just why the Stourfield schools value their community so much and strive to give you the very best provision possible.

Yours faithfully,

Mr. Gareth Morris
Chief Executive Officer,
Twynham Learning Multi Academy Trust