School staff want probe over ‘outrageous bullying’

TWO thirds of staff at a school in Orkney are calling for a probe to be carried out into allegations of “outrageous bullying behaviour”.

A dispute among staff at Orkney's Stromness Academy has broken out, with two thirds of staff demanding a probe into 'outrageous bullying behaviour' from the school hierarchy. Picture: TSPL

A letter from around 40 of the 63 members of staff at Stromness Academy have signed a letter sent to the chief executive of Orkney Islands Council.

The signatories allege an “atmosphere of fear and oppression”.

They claim that they had “reluctantly come to the decision that action is required” against a “situation we have been labouring under for the past few years, as we go about our everyday business in the school.”

The letter alleges that staff have been denied “dignity at work” and that their opinions and suggestions are being ignored.

The letter also raises concerns about the allegedly “aggressive way” pupils are spoken to for “minor offences, if indeed they can be termed as offences at all.”

It concludes: “Nothing short of a thorough and robust investigation into the specific situation at Stromness Academy will satisfy us”, adding that they “trust that some form of action will be taken without further undue delay.”

It is understood that not all staff were asked to sign the letter, with the school’s senior management team and those on temporary contracts excluded.

A spokeswoman for the local authority refused to comment, stating: “Orkney Islands Council does not comment on internal staffing matters.”