Inspiration Trust accused of trying to gag critical parents

The Inspiration Trust, which runs 17 academies in the region, has been criticised over a letter to parents asking them to agree to a number of terms and conditions.

The list of terms under the heading "parents/carers will" includes asking parents to ensure their children always complete their homework and that they arrive at school on time and in the correct uniform.

But it also includes a demand over how parents use social media which has led to accusations that the trust is attempting to gag its critics.

It reads: "Parents/carers will ensure all social media use is appropriate for their child and any social media use by the family does not bring the school into disrepute."

Diamond Academy in Thetford (Image: Archant)

A parent who has children at Diamond Academy and its latest school Queensway - both in Thetford - said the agreement felt like an attempt to silence critics.

The parent, who did not wish to be named, said: "To me, this reads as 'no complaining about the school' - like parents are forbidden from bad-mouthing the academy'."

It is not the first the school has become embroiled in social media storms - which may have sparked bosses to draft the agreement.

Earlier this year, a number of pupils at another of its schools - East Point Academy in Lowestoft - used social media platform TikTok to stage protests about toilet policies.

In 2017, parents from Great Yarmouth Charter Academy set up a Facebook group specifically to voice concerns about the academy's then-headteacher Barry Smith, over what was perceived as a heavy-handed approach to discipline.

And the trust was also met with widespread scrutiny on social media over its takeover of the Hewett School in Norwich back in 2015 - which it has run ever since.

The latest furore has sparked questions over how social media policies can actually be enforced by schools.

According to the parenting advice website the School Run, it is not unusual for schools to request parents refrain from posting anything malicious about the school online.

However, these policies are not legally enforceable - but if a school believes comments are malicious they can report the matter to either the social networking platform itself, the local authority or seek legal advice.

The trust's schools are not, however, the only ones in the region to have social media policies that parents are expected to follow.

Mulbarton Primary School's reads: "The school expects parents to behave in a civilised nature online.

"The school retains the right to request that any damaging material is removed from social media websites."

Similarly, St Mary's Community Primary in Beetley, near Dereham, has a policy which reads: "Pupils and parents must not post content online which is damaging to the school or any of its staff or pupils."

In the event of parents making complaints on social media, government officials advise schools to invite parents in for meetings and direct them to complaints procedures.

The Inspiration Trust did not respond to a request for comment on the policy.

What is on the list?

The letter asks parents to agree to:

• Ensure that my child attends the academy, on time, properly equipped and wearing uniform
• Make the academy aware of any concerns and problems that might affect my daughter's/son's work or behaviour
• Encourage my daughter/son to behave well and respect the rights of others to learn without disruption to lessons
• Ensure my daughter/son always completes their homework
• Attend parents' evenings, information evenings and discussions
• Communicate with academy staff as per the contact procedure and in a climate of mutual respect
• Ensure all social media use is appropriate for their child and any social media use by the family does not bring the school into disrepute
• Work in partnership with the academy to promote the best interests of my daughter's/ son's education
• Agree to follow the established absence reporting procedure.