Strict behaviour policy blamed for 'exodus of 500 pupils' from Ark Alexandra Academy in Hastings
An ITV News Meridian investigation has discovered that 472 children have left Ark Alexandra Academy in Hastings over the past three school years before the scheduled end of their secondary education.
The data, obtained via a Freedom of Information Request, shows that 28% of the children leaving the school prematurely were recorded as having Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND).
The Ark Schools Trust told us they have 'high aspirations for students' and 'work hard to support those with additional education needs'.
Labour MP Helena Dollimore, who has raised her concerns about the school in Parliament, described the numbers leaving as an 'exodus' and urged Ark to 'acknowledge the scale of the problem' and 'work with the community rather than against it'.
The Hastings & Rye MP told ITV News Meridian: 'Everybody agrees we need strict discipline in our schools but the way this is being implemented is causing a lot of issues and ultimately leading to children falling out of the education system.'
Laura Wallis removed her son from the school less than a fortnight after he started Year 7 in September 2024. She claims he was discriminated against because of his ADHD and autism – and was effectively forced to leave.
'Within two weeks of being there he'd racked up nearly four hours worth of detentions. He wasn't walking close enough to the corridor wall – that was a detention. Spatial awareness is one of the things he really struggles with.
'There was no support for both his physical needs and his special educational needs. Their no-nonsense policy pushes children out of the education system.'
The figures show that 39% of the children removed from Ark Alexandra are initially home schooled, rather than transferred directly to another school.
Laura Wallis's son lost 120 days of classroom education before being accepted into another school, where she says he is 'thriving'.
Staff whistleblowers have told ITV News Meridian that the school has a target that each staff member should issue 25 detentions per week.
One teacher said while student behaviour had improved since the new policy was introduced, staff and student wellbeing has been impacted as a result.
Helena Dollimore, Labour MP for Hastings & Rye, says she's extremely concerned
Nigel Woodcock said he removed his daughter from the school in recent months, after almost three years at Ark Alexandra, because of the 'immense affect on her mental wellbeing".
'I wouldn't even explain it as being a prison. The kids aren't allowed to laugh in the hallways, they're not even allowed to sit with their friends at lunchtime except on a Friday", he added.
Ark Schools declined our repeated requests for an interview. Instead the trust issued a statement, in which a spokesperson said:
'Ark Alexandra has improved rapidly over the past 18 months: suspensions have fallen significantly, attendance has improved, and students are making good progress in all year groups.
'We have high aspirations for our students and work hard to support those with additional education needs. Everything we do is focused on providing a great education for our children and seeing them thrive.'
Justin Wynne, District Secretary at the National Education Union, does not support detention targets
In response to the criticism of the detention targets, the Ark Schools spokesperson added: 'We monitor behaviour points to ensure the school's behaviour policy is implemented fairly and consistently.
'Staff are encouraged to award four times more rewards for positive behaviour – with the focus on catching students behaving well, rather than catching them out. This has helped us to create a culture of warmth and high standards.'
Academies are state schools not controlled by the local authority but by an academy trust, funded directly by the Department for Education.
The government is currently making a series of changes to the rules that academy trusts have to follow, to standardise curriculum, staff pay, conditions and recruitment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
The two party system is obliterated, welcome to Balkans Britain
IF Labour and the Tories were High Street jewellers, then they would both be Ratner's. Their brands are tainted, their names are mud, their future uncertain. 7 7 For a century Labour and the Tories were the Tiffany and Cartier of our proud old democracy. Then they both did a Ratner. The Tories took 14 years to deeply disappoint the British people. Labour has managed to make the nation despair in closer to 14 months. And their good old days of swapping power every few years are over. Welcome to Balkan s Britain. Balkan-isation refers to the process where a state irrevocably shatters into many smaller states. That is exactly what is happening right now to traditional British politics. The two-party system is obliterated, and there are bits and pieces all over the carpet. The disintegration of our body politic reached new heights this week with the resurrection of Jeremy Corbyn and the launch of his new leftier- than-thou party — provisionally named 'Your Party' (not mine, never mine). Now Labour can't chuckle about the Tories warily looking over their right shoulder at Reform. Inside UK's 1st Reform pub with £2 pints, boozers drinking 'Remainer tears' & even Corbyn's allowed in, on one condition Because Labour are looking over their left shoulder at Jeremy Corbyn's Your Party. And everybody has to fear losing support to the Greens, Lib Dems and Monster Raving Loony Party. And will the fragmentation of our old two-party system be good for our country? Will Reform's right-wing firebrands draining support from the Tories and Corbyn's full-fat comrades nicking support from Labour make us a healthier, happier country? Fingers crossed, eh? But those of us who care about our country far more than we do, any political party should not dance too gleefully on the freshly dug grave of the two-party system. Because effective government ALWAYS comes from a broad church of opinions. Tony Blair's New Labour had room in its ranks for both Peter Mandelson and Dennis 'Beast of Bolsover' Skinner — slinky capitalist and old-school socialist. Maggie Thatcher had room in her Cabinet for both Michael Heseltine and Norman Tebbit — fanatical pro-European and unapologetic patriot. It is impossible to imagine either of the two big parties being quite so broadminded these days. Corbyn and Farage have this in common — they are both profoundly anti-establishment. Yet one of them could wield power after the next General Election, even if it is lording over some fractious coalition. Then Nigel might find that shipping hardcore criminals to El Salvador is easier said than done. And Jeremy might discover that ranting about the wickedness of the filthy rich does absolutely nothing for the British economy. And when the old two-party system is buried forever, you and I may even start to miss it. Romance in air? Liam's just being hammy with Pammy LIAM NEESON and Pamela Anderson are promoting their reboot of The Naked Gun – and old romantics are suggesting there may be a spark of real-life romance between this lovely couple. Liam, 73, confessed in a recent interview that he was 'madly in love' with the former Baywatch babe, 58. A confession that makes me believe there is absolutely no late-life love story going on between them. USYK'S GOT BIT OF ALI I REMEMBER my mum and dad had mixed feelings when Henry Cooper fought Muhammad Ali for the second time. Naturally my folks wanted the local lad – our Henry – to win. 7 But there was a big part of their hearts that always belonged to Muhammad Ali. And so it is with Oleksandr Usyk, who knocked out Daniel Dubois last weekend to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Even if you want the Brit to win, you can't help but admire their opponent. Because both Ali and Usyk fought for a higher cause than their own career. Muhammad Ali fought racism. Oleksandr Usyk is the living embodiment of Ukraine's defiance in the face of Russia's murderous invasion. Usyk has now beaten the cream of British boxing – Daniel Dubois (twice), Tyson Fury (twice), Anthony Joshua (twice), Derek Chisora and Tony Bellew. Muhammad Ali beat Henry Cooper (twice), Joe Bugner (twice), Brian London and Richard Dunn. But Ali was always loved in this country. As so is Usyk. 'UK is my second home,' says Usyk. 'I love UK.' The feeling is mutual, champ. Glory to Ukraine. ORVILLE the Duck is being branded a 'nappy-wearing perv' after revelations about inappropriate behaviour. TV's Mel and Sue revealed that they were co-hosting Channel 4's Light Lunch in 1997 when ventriloquist Keith Harris (and Orville) became as over-familiar with Mel as Rod Hull (and Emu) got with Michael Parkinson 20 years earlier. 7 'Keith Harris got a bit naughty with Sue!' Mel revealed. 'Well, Orville did! Yes, Orville got a bit naughty Nineties.' I believe Keith Harris, who died in 2015, should carry the can. He was the one with his hand up the green duck's Wembley Way. Look at those eyes. Orville is innocent. TELL IT LIKE IT KISS 'RIGHT then, do we have any lovebirds in the house?' asked Liam Gallagher on stage in Manchester. 'Don't worry, we ain't got none of that snidey Coldplay f***ing camera s**t. Doesn't matter to us who you're mingling with or tingling with – none of our f***ing business.' 7 Beautifully put, Liam. Our kid is right to be outraged at the use of kiss cams at concerts. After the Coldplay farrago, it is worth recalling that the kiss cam only began life in California in the Eighties, taking advantage of new-fangled giant video screens at sporting events. The kiss cam was introduced as a way to stop crowds nodding off at baseball and American football games. As Liam points out, it is weird that the kiss cam should become a feature of concerts. There is nothing even remotely rock and roll about it. But of course that's also true of Coldplay. BOB DYLAN – 84! – returns to the UK in November, and once again no phones will be allowed at his shows. That must feel weird for anyone below the age of about 30. To the rest of us, a phone-free night watching Dylan feels gloriously liberating. COP SHOP ROT 'E-SCOOTERS can be a great way to get around,' says a government spokesman. This is especially true if you want to steal somebody's phone, a crime now so widespread that last year £50million worth of phones were snatched in London alone. Most of those phones are never recovered. Just as most burglaries – almost 82 per cent – are never solved. Just as most shoplifters – now three thefts a minute! – never get a slap on the wrist. Nigel Farage is right – this country feels increasingly lawless. But there was one thing Farage neglected to mention in his bid to make Reform the party of law and order. Two-thirds of police stations in England have closed since 2010. This is where the rot begins. This is where our rising crime rates took root. When police stations went the same way as Woolworths.
Glasgow Times
28 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
UK working on plans to air drop aid into Gaza, PM tells Macron and Merz
The Prime Minister held emergency talks with Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz on Saturday amid mounting global anger at the humanitarian conditions in the enclave. In a readout of the call, Number 10 said the leaders had agreed 'it would be vital to ensure robust plans are in place to turn an urgently-needed ceasefire into lasting peace'. 'The Prime Minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to air drop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance,' a Downing Street spokesperson said. However, the head of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency warned airdrops were 'a distraction and screensmoke' that would fail to reverse deepening starvation in Gaza, and could in some cases harm civilians. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said on Saturday: 'A man-made hunger can only be addressed by political will. Lift the siege, open the gates and guarantee safe movements and dignified access to people in need.' Israel said on Friday it will allow airdrops of aid by foreign countries into Gaza to alleviate suffering in the Palestinian territory, where there is widespread devastation. The readout made no mention of the issue of Palestinian statehood, which the Prime Minister has faced calls to immediately recognise after French President Mr Macron confirmed his country would do so in September. However, Downing Street said the leaders had committed to 'work closely together on a plan' to 'pave the way to a long-term solution and security in the region'. Once the proposals have been 'worked up', they will seek to advance them with other key partners, including in the region, the readout said. Some 221 MPs from Labour, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru, SDLP and independents have signed a letter pressuring the Government to follow suit at a UN meeting next week. Donald Trump suggested Mr Macron's announcement, which saw him commit to formally recognising Palestinian sovereignty at the UN General Assembly in September, 'doesn't matter' as he left the US for a visit to Scotland. US President Donald Trump said a French announcement on Palestinian statehood 'doesn't matter' (Robert Perry/PA) Sarah Champion, the senior Labour MP who organised the letter by parliamentarians, said recognition 'would send a powerful symbolic message that we support the rights of the Palestinian people'. Other senior Commons figures who signed the letter include Labour select committee chairs Liam Byrne, Dame Emily Thornberry and Ruth Cadbury. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, as well as Tory former minister Kit Malthouse, and Sir Edward Leigh – Parliament's longest-serving MP – also signed it. The majority of those who have signed, 131, are Labour MPs. The Government has so far said its immediate focus is on getting aid into the territory and insisted that recognising sovereignty must be done as part of a peace process. Charities operating in Gaza have said Israel's blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing people there towards starvation, warning that they are seeing their own workers and Palestinians 'waste away'. But Mr Lazzarini said airdrops can be dangerous as they can fall on civilians, and that being able to drive aid through is more effective and safer. 'Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation. They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians,' he said. 'It is a distraction and screensmoke.' The Prime Minister will meet the US president during his trip to Scotland, where he arrived on Friday evening. US-led peace talks in Qatar were cut short on Thursday, with Washington's special envoy Steve Witkoff accusing Hamas of a 'lack of desire to reach a ceasefire'. The deal under discussion is expected to include a 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting truce. Foreign Secretary David Lammy's opposite number Dame Priti Patel said she had 'repeatedly pressed' him on 'what specific and deliverable solutions he is trying to advance on aid'. 'The British Government needs to be leveraging its influence and the UK's considerable aid expertise to bring about practical solutions that alleviate the dire and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza,' she said. 'The priority must be to get as much aid in as possible, delivered safely and exclusively to innocent civilians. 'Diplomacy is about finding solutions, not just issuing condemnations.' Meanwhile, Israel's ambassador to the UK said recognising Palestinian statehood would 'reward' hostage-taking and killing by Hamas. 'Recognising a Palestinian state in a post-October 7 reality would be nothing less than a reward for terrorism,' she wrote in the Telegraph.
The Herald Scotland
38 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
UK working on plans to air drop aid into Gaza, PM tells Macron and Merz
In a readout of the call, Number 10 said the leaders had agreed 'it would be vital to ensure robust plans are in place to turn an urgently-needed ceasefire into lasting peace'. 'The Prime Minister set out how the UK will also be taking forward plans to work with partners such as Jordan to air drop aid and evacuate children requiring medical assistance,' a Downing Street spokesperson said. However, the head of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency warned airdrops were 'a distraction and screensmoke' that would fail to reverse deepening starvation in Gaza, and could in some cases harm civilians. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said on Saturday: 'A man-made hunger can only be addressed by political will. Lift the siege, open the gates and guarantee safe movements and dignified access to people in need.' Israel said on Friday it will allow airdrops of aid by foreign countries into Gaza to alleviate suffering in the Palestinian territory, where there is widespread devastation. The readout made no mention of the issue of Palestinian statehood, which the Prime Minister has faced calls to immediately recognise after French President Mr Macron confirmed his country would do so in September. However, Downing Street said the leaders had committed to 'work closely together on a plan' to 'pave the way to a long-term solution and security in the region'. Once the proposals have been 'worked up', they will seek to advance them with other key partners, including in the region, the readout said. Some 221 MPs from Labour, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru, SDLP and independents have signed a letter pressuring the Government to follow suit at a UN meeting next week. Donald Trump suggested Mr Macron's announcement, which saw him commit to formally recognising Palestinian sovereignty at the UN General Assembly in September, 'doesn't matter' as he left the US for a visit to Scotland. US President Donald Trump said a French announcement on Palestinian statehood 'doesn't matter' (Robert Perry/PA) Sarah Champion, the senior Labour MP who organised the letter by parliamentarians, said recognition 'would send a powerful symbolic message that we support the rights of the Palestinian people'. Other senior Commons figures who signed the letter include Labour select committee chairs Liam Byrne, Dame Emily Thornberry and Ruth Cadbury. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, as well as Tory former minister Kit Malthouse, and Sir Edward Leigh – Parliament's longest-serving MP – also signed it. The majority of those who have signed, 131, are Labour MPs. The Government has so far said its immediate focus is on getting aid into the territory and insisted that recognising sovereignty must be done as part of a peace process. Charities operating in Gaza have said Israel's blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing people there towards starvation, warning that they are seeing their own workers and Palestinians 'waste away'. But Mr Lazzarini said airdrops can be dangerous as they can fall on civilians, and that being able to drive aid through is more effective and safer. 'Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation. They are expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians,' he said. 'It is a distraction and screensmoke.' The Prime Minister will meet the US president during his trip to Scotland, where he arrived on Friday evening. US-led peace talks in Qatar were cut short on Thursday, with Washington's special envoy Steve Witkoff accusing Hamas of a 'lack of desire to reach a ceasefire'. The deal under discussion is expected to include a 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting truce. Foreign Secretary David Lammy's opposite number Dame Priti Patel said she had 'repeatedly pressed' him on 'what specific and deliverable solutions he is trying to advance on aid'. 'The British Government needs to be leveraging its influence and the UK's considerable aid expertise to bring about practical solutions that alleviate the dire and deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza,' she said. 'The priority must be to get as much aid in as possible, delivered safely and exclusively to innocent civilians. 'Diplomacy is about finding solutions, not just issuing condemnations.' Meanwhile, Israel's ambassador to the UK said recognising Palestinian statehood would 'reward' hostage-taking and killing by Hamas. 'Recognising a Palestinian state in a post-October 7 reality would be nothing less than a reward for terrorism,' she wrote in the Telegraph.
