Avanti Park School

As another has recently mentioned, the new principal is taking things downhill fast. Most recently with an idea that banning parents from coming into the school grounds to drop off their children in the morning will somehow make the school safer and help all the children feel ‘calm’. This is from age 4 and they will all be left to find their way to class alone amongst hundreds of older children. No registration at the gate so no one will know which children are there until they, hopefully, make it to class.

The email starting with ‘it is very difficult to monitor who is coming onto the school site in the morning’ doesn’t make you confident that they will be able to keep an eye on hundreds of children at the same time.

Parents are still allowed to collect them, so there is no logic behind having adults on the school grounds being a risk.

Emails are being ignored and the principal seems to be in hiding.

I would never have chosen this school if this were a policy when applying.

It feels like Avanti Park is going downhill fast since the new headteacher and management took over. They’re trying to cover up their constant lateness with a so-called new safeguarding protocol, where parents have to leave their children at the gate and can’t enter the premises.

The problem is — the staff opening the gates are rarely on time. Parents are left waiting outside with their children, unsure when the gates will open. The school’s own letter mentions the gate will close at 09:50 sharp, but says nothing about when it will actually open. That lack of clarity only adds stress for parents who are trying to get to work on time.

Instead of hiding behind new policies, the management should take responsibility for the poor organisation and ongoing delays. The new headteacher urgently needs to get things under control — at the moment, it’s clear she’s struggling to manage even basic routines effectively.

Since the new headteacher joined, it feels like the organisation at Avanti Park Frome has really started to slip — especially during morning drop-offs. The gates are now regularly opened late, usually by around 3 to 7 minutes. That might not sound like much, but for parents who need to get to work or meetings on time, those minutes make a real difference.

This morning (7th October), the gates were late again. The staff member on duty, Ange, was quite rude and unapologetic when a few parents expressed their frustration. On other days, a short male staff member is usually responsible for opening the gates, and he’s also frequently late.

It just feels like there’s a lack of consistency and care lately. Parents rely on the school to be organised and punctual, and it’s frustrating to see this slipping. Hopefully, the management can address this soon so mornings can run more smoothly again.

My child was made to feel it was there fault that they didn't have the staff for the SEN department. They sat outside all winter because they had no staff or the means for them to access the sensory room, when I said something I was told they don't have the staff or the funds. The SEN department Person is also a teacher and doesn't have time for these children so there not properly taught or cared for. Avantie was supposed to arrange a transition to the new school. We never got it. She is now at home with no school. If your child learns by physically doing then don't send them here. Or get them out as soon as possible. They don't do practical lessons on a regular basis. Yoga is not part of the school it's an after school club. The head is only bothered if you can sit to a book in a Victorian style learning. They have waisted my child's education by not having the staff or the funding or the teaching capabilities that these children required. Neglect is all she got.