Worker urged Birmingham school to 'push' teen's transfer - saying mum 'did their head in'
A furious mother has slammed a Birmingham school after discovering an internal email between staff members saying she ‘did their head in.’ Brianna Bridgen, from Great Barr, said she was ‘appalled’ and ‘disgusted’ by the message, sent by an anonymous staff member at Arena Academy, part of the CORE Education Trust.
The email was revealed to Brianna, 36, after she submitted a subject access request to the Information Commissioner's Office, entitling her to copies of personal data relating to her held by the school. She made the request following a long-running dispute with the Great Barr school over her son's Chayse's education.
The email read: "PS push the Chayse Allen one through plz. His mum does my head in!! X." A spokesperson for the school apologised to Brianna, acknowledging the email "fell short of the high standards we expect from our staff."
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Chayse, 14, is a former student at Arena Academy now enrolled in a temporary alternative provision school. According to Brianna, the email related to his transfer to a new school on a ‘managed move’ following an incident which saw him considered for exclusion.
Reacting to the email, Brianna, who wants the teenager to remain at the alternative school, told BirminghamLive: “I’m appalled at what they said about me. They see me as a problem, when all I’m trying to do is make sure my son has the education he deserves.
“They see Chayse as a problem, and they want to get rid of him instead of investing in him, which is what I’ve been crying out for for the past three years. They’re setting him up to fail.
“It’s very concerning to read how some teachers speak about our children and I dread to think how they talk about them when we’re not there.” She said Chayse's alternative provision better suited his needs. But she claimed Arena Academy was trying to forcefully move him to a new school, which she said would not be suitable for him.
She urged other parents going through disputes with their children’s school to submit subject access requests saying ‘every parent has a right to know’. “All members of staff need training to make sure this never happens again,” Brianna said.
“Someone needs to be held accountable. Every parent has a right to know what goes on with their children behind closed doors.”
A spokesperson for Arena Academy said: “We are sorry this email fell short of the high standards we expect from our staff. All colleagues have been reminded of the need to treat everyone in our community with professionalism, empathy and respect.”