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PRESS RELEASE
Proof of failing school
Parents Against Bullying At Thorns (PABAT) made a request under the Freedom of
Information Act for details of pupils who were temporarily and permanently excluded from
Thorns Community College.
The figures show what many concerned parents already knew, that Thorns Community
College is failing in its discipline of pupils and struggling to control those elements of the
school which are causing problems for the studious pupils.
The information provided shows that for academic year 2014/15, 92 fixed term exclusions
were handed out, regularly for multiple offences, meaning that the pupil was allowed to
return to the school. Only 4 pupils were permanently excluded.
Worryingly, the trend for poor behaviour continues into the current academic year,
2015/16, which is only part way through, which has seen 91 pupils handed a fixed term
exclusion, again for multiple offences, with only 1 pupil being permanently excluded.
Below is a table showing the different categories listed as reasons for fixed term exclusion:

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Category
Verbal abuse/threatening behaviour against an
adult
Persistent disruptive behaviour
Physical assault against a pupil
Drug and alcohol related
Physical assault against an adult
Verbal abuse/threatening behaviour against a pupil
Racist abuse
Sexual misconduct
Theft
Damage
Bullying
Other
TOTAL

2014/15 2015/16
89
52
44
13
8
4
4
3
3
2
0
0
222

73
69
18
9
6
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
185

Source: Thorns Community College

Fixed Term Exclusion

Permanent Exclusion

2014/15 2015/16
92
91
4
1

Total
183
5

Source: Thorns Community College

The information was requested by PABAT in December 2015 with senior leaders at Thorns
Community College refusing to release the data until the Office of the Information
Commissioner forced their hand by issuing a Section 10 Decision Notice to the school,
resulting in the statistics being provided on 24 March this year.
The Principal and Governors of Thorns Community College may well be embarrassed and
wish to hide this inform, as a further request under the Freedom of Information Act to West
Midlands Police found that in total, the police have had to attend the school on 22 separate
occasions in the past two years. Of the 22 different visits, the greatest number of reasons
for a visit was shown as Recorded Crime.
A table showing the breakdown by reason is listed below:
Incident classification
Admin police generated resource activity
Anti-social behaviour nuisance
Public safety/welfare alarms
Public safety/welfare concern for safety
Public safety/welfare missing person
Public safety/welfare suspicious
circumstances
Recorded crime
Total

2014

2015
2

2016

Total
2
3
3
1
1

1
2
4

3
9
22

3
3
1

2
4
9

3
9

Source: West Midlands Police, FOI ref 003203/16

Copies of all our press releases are available on our website.

This information, obtained by PABAT paints a very dim view of life at Thorns Community
College for pupils wishing to pursue their education. Interim Chairman of PABAT, Luke said,
We have long known from our own experiences that bullying has been a problem at Thorns
Community College, hence the formation of this support group. However, this data obtained
under the Freedom of Information Act clearly shows that there is an underlying problem at
Thorns. Worryingly, the greatest number of exclusions is for threatening behaviour towards
staff, which clearly demonstrates that the leadership of the school fails to maintain
discipline. This is something that every parent of a pupil at Thorns, and every prospective
pupil, should be aware of.
Luke further stated, We have members who are former pupils at Thorns who were bullied
and have horrifying stories of failing discipline, as well as our own children who tell much the
same story.
At a previous support group meeting, a vote of no confidence was called for and passed in
relation to the Governing Body of Thorns Community College. At the most recent meeting,
a further vote of no confidence was called and passed in relation to the Principal, Andy Cox,
and Chair of Governors, Dennis Hodson. Interim Chairman, Luke concluded, Although we
accept that Mr Cox and Mr Hodson are taking action, clearly the action isnt strong enough.
Problem pupils need to be permanently removed from the school, to allow those that do
wish to study, an opportunity to do so. He added, We will be looking at revising our Vision
Statement, which we provisionally see as replacing the Principal; replacing the Governing
Body; operating a zero tolerance policy towards discipline; changing the name of the
school, to give it a fresh start.
PABAT are keen to hear from anybody wishing to join the support group, whether they be
existing pupils or parents of children at the school, or former pupils/parents.
PABAT, a support group for pupils at Thorns Community College, and their parents, was
formed due to the bullying of some pupils and the schools failure to act to protect those
subjected to this kind of behaviour.
Pupils and parents can contact PABAT for confidential support and advice about bullying at
Thorns Community College via the website or email address shown above.
Press use only
Press Officer XX, 07X XX XX
13 April 2016

Copies of all our press releases are available on our website.