Academy chain is accused of trying to 'gag free speech and criticism'

Academy chain is accused of trying to ‘gag free speech and criticism’ by asking parents to sign social media contracts and stopping them from posting anything which could ‘bring the school into disrepute’

• The Inspiration Trust, which runs 17 schools, buried the clause in a letter home 
• Read more: Refugees who fled Putin’s war are shocked to be taught Russian 

An academy chain has been accused of trying to stifle criticism by telling parents about what they can post on social media.

The Inspiration Trust, which runs 17 schools, sent a letter to pupils’ homes in which parents were asked to sign up to terms and conditions.

Buried among them was a warning that they must ‘any social media use by the family does not bring the school into disrepute’.

Outraged parents branded it an attempt to gag free speech, even if they had legitimate concerns about the school their child attends.

Several schools operated by the trust, which covers Norfolk and north Suffolk, have faced social media storms in the past over issues including new policies and controversial headteachers.

The Inspiration Trust, which runs 17 schools, sent a letter to pupils’ homes in which parents were asked to sign up to terms and conditions (file image of Diamond Academy)

Critics suspect the crackdown is designed to silence critics who have used social media to criticise the group’s schools previously (file image)

One parent, whose children attend Diamond Academy and Queensway Infant Academy, both in Thetford, Norfolk, said: ‘To me, this reads as ‘no complaining about the school’ – like parents are forbidden from bad-mouthing the academy.’ 

Another, Mic Wright, wrote on Twitter: ‘The academy group which includes my daughter’s school, are effectively threatening parents over social media use.

‘The schools might want to fix their terrible policies first. I am livid.’ He added: ‘It is outrageous overreach by a group of schools that treats its students like prisoners on a daily basis.’ 

The list of terms appear in the letter under the heading ‘Parents/carers will’. 

Other examples include ‘ensure that my child attends the academy on time’ and ‘encourage my daughter/son to behave well’ or ‘completes their homework’.

Critics suspect the crackdown is designed to silence critics who have used social media to criticise the group’s schools previously.

In February, children at East Point Academy in Lowestoft used video sharing platform TikTok to protest and film demonstrations about rules which prevented them from using toilets during lessons.

Girls having periods were particularly aggrieved, with one complaining: ‘The school is not supportive.’ 

There was also an online backlash at tough new discipline rules introduced under then head Barry Smith when Great Yarmouth High School became Great Yarmouth Charter Academy in 2017.

Barry Smith, known as Britain’s ‘strictest headmaster’, sparked furore in 2017 with new tough rules  

One parent claimed her daughter was banned from using retractable pens because the clicking noise could be distracting.

Another, wrote on Facebook: ‘My daughter was put in isolation today and made to cry on her first day back. I’m fuming, thing is she doesn’t even know why she was put in there.’ 

There was also vocal opposition to the trust’s takeover of the Hewett School in Norwich in 2015.

Online resource TheSchoolRun.com says on its website that many schools are adopting social media policies in response to cyber safety issues and online bullying.

But it adds it’s ‘natural’ to use sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram ‘if you’re having a problem with your child’s school iife’.

In a section on whether the policies can be enforced, it says: ‘Social media policies aren’t legally enforceable but schools can take their own action if a member of staff, parent or pupil breaches its policy.’ 

Action against pupils includes being ‘disciplined according to the school’s normal behaviour policies’, while parents ‘accused of making malicious comments about the school or a teacher’ could have their post reported to the social networking platform, the local authority or the police.

The Inspiration Trust was approached for a comment.

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