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Wilbarston parents withdraw children over head teacher row

Oliver Conopo/BBC Two women sitting in front of a large plant. One has dark hair and glasses and wears a green top, the other has long light brown hair and wears a white top.Oliver Conopo/BBC
Carolyn Winn and Carol Elliott said parents were not being listened to

A group of parents took their children out of school for the day following a row over the appointment of a new head teacher.

The trust that runs Wilbarston Primary School in Northamptonshire chose an outside candidate for the job instead of the existing interim head.

The parents said they had not been listened to and around 20 children were kept out of classes on Wednesday.

An interview panel chose the new head unanimously, the trust said.

The parents have called for that decision to be investigated.

When the job at the primary school, near Corby, was advertised, many parents thought the interim head, Neil Balliston, would be the obvious choice.

Carol Elliott, who has a child at the school, said: "As soon as he arrived, the atmosphere at the school was amazing, it was a palpable change.

"We have fantastic teaching staff in a beautiful setting, it's nurturing and kind and wonderful - my son loves going to school."

'Such a shock'

Mr Balliston is understood to have applied for the permanent position, but it was given to an external candidate, Maria Hawkes.

The parents said they had asked for a meeting with the new head teacher and it was refused.

Ms Elliott said it was "such a shame, because we don't have a personal problem with her at all - how can you when you've never even met somebody?"

Oliver Conopo/BBC Small school building at the back of a playground. Railings are visible in front and a sign offering places from SeptemberOliver Conopo/BBC
The trust said Mr Balliston "made a positive impact on our school community"

Carolyn Winn, who has two children at the school, said the appointment came "as such a shock".

"We just wanted to understand how that decision was made, not just told that the person coming in was better."

A spokesperson for the Pathfinder Schools Trust, said: "We are delighted that, following a robust recruitment process, the unanimous decision of the panel was to appoint Mrs Hawkes as our permanent head teacher.

"She has more than 25 years' experience, embodies our Christian values and knows Northamptonshire extremely well, having worked at many schools in the area.

"We would like to thank our interim head teacher, Mr Balliston, who has made such a positive impact on our school community and look forward to shortly welcoming him to an interim leadership role at one of the other schools in our trust."

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