Chalgrove Community Primary School

Over the past 12 months, the overall standard of the school has declined significantly, and this is now widely recognised among parents, staff, and the wider community. A number of serious concerns have emerged, many of which appear to relate to the leadership culture under the current headteacher.

There has been a notable increase in parental withdrawals, with several families choosing to remove their children from the school due to concerns about the environment, communication, and leadership approach. Alongside this, the school has experienced exceptionally high staff turnover, including experienced teachers and support staff. Such levels of churn are rarely seen in a stable, well‑led school and are often indicative of deeper cultural or management issues.

Parents have also raised a growing number of complaints, many of which relate to the leadership style, decision‑making, and the way concerns are handled. These issues appear to be contributing to a climate where staff and parents feel unable to raise matters constructively or safely.

Academically, the school’s performance has fallen below that of all neighbouring schools, which is deeply concerning. Declining outcomes, combined with instability in staffing and leadership, suggest that pupils are not receiving the consistent, high‑quality education they are entitled to.

Despite these clear warning signs, there appears to have been limited or no visible intervention from the Trust to address the situation. The lack of timely action has allowed the situation to deteriorate further, leaving parents and staff feeling unsupported and unheard.

Given the seriousness of these concerns, it is essential that the Trust undertakes a formal, independent review of leadership, culture, safeguarding, and educational standards