Valley Park School

I have a daughter in Yr11, working through her GCSE courses and have closely watched the school's progress during her time there. None of the comments take note of the fact that the present management took over a school that failed to tackle serious behaviour and attendance issues. The decisive steps taken over the last four years have changed the situation considerably. An ongoing system of rewards for achievement in class and sanctions, including same~day detentions, for poor behaviour and attendance is part of school life for all the children.
Staffing has been an issue for some years now and there is no doubt that it has affected achievement in all subjects, though some more than others. However, staffing is a problem across the South East, not just at Valley. The reasons have as much to do with house prices as the problems at individual schools.
In short, Valley management and staff are working hard to turn the school into the best it can be. They are working within a selective system which labels the 25% who pass 11+ as the 'best', while the schools educating the majority inevitably confront the problems associated with some children and parents whose attitudes are not conducive to high achievement in school.

Used to work there. Was a horrible, toxic culture of threat. Got out as soon as I could!

This is school is so awful. There is a lot of bullying, racism, homophobia. This is like a jungle. The teacher don’t do anything there, and they aren’t passionate for their job, there are their to collect their payment .

School doesn’t have any care for there students and students don’t learn properly. Most students are on their phones or messing around every lesson. The school is also very small for the amount of pupils they’re holding. Valley park is very damaging to students mental health and a lot of students are very immature.

More focused on uniform than education, racism or homophobia

Poor management, unable to retain teaching staff. Although their are some good teachers a number of the staff have no idea how to speak to the children and literally bully them verbally.

I hate this school, it used to have a farm but the headteacher shut it down because 'they needed more supply teachers' but in doing this someone the farm manager has lost her job, and now has to be a caretaker. Most of the teachers are so rude, and give you referals for no reason. They say how good valley is but they are masking the fact they don't care about bullying, as I was bullied for 3years and despite my head of year telling the headteacher she didn't do anything about it. The amount of gum under the table is atrocious,they don't clean the tables, the cafeteria; I don't even know where to start. First of all my friend got a roast dinner on a Wednesday but the meat was hardly cooked with some big lumps of uncooked slimy meat which was also covered in blood. When buying pasta from the canteen,they never drain it properly so there is loads of water at the bottom of the bowl, the following of is very overpriced and not hygienic. On Fridays fish and chips there is a salt and vinegar table. The vinegar is in a bottle, but the salt is in a bowl and not in a shaker and there is no spoons to use. People have to use their HANDS if they want salt which is utterly DISGUSTING. They never give out non school uniform days or school trips and we are always told it's because of behaviour. The reason behaviour is do bad is because so many people are 'rude' to the teachers. The other day I was in class with a quiet boy and his friend was late (dentist appointment) and he Explained to his friend what the work was and he got exited. When he calmly asked the teacher what he had done wrong the teacher yelled don't backchat me and gave him a referral. The teachers are so DISRESPECTFUL to US. also if your skirt is a tiny bit above your knee they send you to student hub and they take your skirt and replace it with a new one, but you have to pay for it, and you do not get your old skirt back,you HAVE to pay for the new one. Also while you are changing skirts, a teacher stands outside the toilet door. This is sometimes MALE which idt is right. They also have teachers in the pe changing rooms which is just pedophilic. Althought same sex is in the changing rooms they still stare at your ass. Don't join valley park school it's horrible

Good separation of year groups but there always seem to be sixth form sitting on the bit outside Taylor building and they are always there and they don't have work to do.