AS A family member of a pupil of Wheatley Park School, I attended a meeting to discuss the fact that the school had failed its Ofsted inspection.

Among issues to be raised were the standard of education, the control of disruptive students and the failure to safeguard children in its care.

When a school publicly attracts such gross criticism – whether it is true, exaggerated or outright false – many parents will seek to remove their children if they can.

Future parents will, if necessary, even try to move house to avoid blighting their children’s educational chances in what is perceived to be a failed school.

By the same token, gifted teachers who are determined to make their way in their profession will drift away, and talented prospective teachers will not apply for vacant posts.

No able professional either in mid-career, or just starting out, wants to be associated with failure if it possibly can be avoided.

If Wheatley Park is determined to demonstrate that it has the will to make the necessary changes, and fast, I am sure that someone in leadership should resign.

I was impressed with the unapologetic manner in which headteacher Kate Curtis addressed the difficult issues head on.

She did not seek to excuse her responsibilities, she expressed gritty determination to force the necessary changes through – come what may.

I was, however, unimpressed with the chairman of governors, Helen Stradling, who surprisingly spent time criticising the manner in which the Ofsted inspectors had gone about their task.

As Ms Stradling unfortunately has presided over a public failure, especially as the governing body was singled out for criticism by Ofsted that it had failed to tackle weaknesses, it is manifestly in the interests of the school that she should consider her position without delay.

Tom Benyon Rectory Farm House Bladon