HISTORY teacher Malcolm Walker has written his pupils a letter telling them their school is letting them down.

And the teacher at troubled Headlands School announced in the letter to his 28-strong Year 9 tutor group that he was quitting his job.

"I do not agree with the way staff and pupils have been treated since the new management took over," he said in the letter.

"I think the permanent teachers have been treated without respect and students have been neglected (denied a proper education)."

One parent of a 14-year-old in the tutor group was horrified by what she read.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: "At the moment, my child is quite happy at Headlands, but now I am wondering exactly what is happening that the parents don't know about.

"Are the pupils getting the education they deserve?"

One 14-year-old Year Nine girl who received one of the letters said she was astonished by its contents.

The girl, who also asked not to be named, said: "I was surprised by the letter because, since the new team took over, things seem to have been getting a lot better at the school.

"I really do not know why he wrote this letter."

The school and education authority vehemently deny Mr Walker's allegations. His actions are currently being probed with a view to possible disciplinary action.

Mr Walker said in his note to his class that he was leaving Swindon at the end of term for a reason he could not disclose.

He refused to elaborate when contacted by the Evening Advertiser, saying: "I have no comment."

Headlands is currently under the leadership of Kingsdown School head teacher David Williams, who was drafted in as executive head.

He said he could not comment on the contents of the letter until the matter was fully investigated.

He added: "The letter has been drawn to my attention, and the matter is being dealt with by the associate head teacher, Graham Black. There is an investigation with a view to possible disciplinary action."

Mr Williams stressed the mission of the school was to provide the best possible education for its pupils, and revealed that the recruitment drive for staff had been so successful that the shortfall was now down to single figures.

Mr Black echoed Mr Williams' comments.

The council's lead member for education, Garry Perkins (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms) said: "I'm very sad that, if Mr Walker had reasons for concern, he did not take them through the appropriate channels.

"We are addressing the problems at Headlands.

"That is what the new management system is there for, and we have great confidence of success.

"We are devoted to giving Headlands pupils as good a standard of education as they would receive at any other school in Swindon."

Tale of a troubled school

In October 2002 Headlands' poor performance led to it being put in special measures by Ofsted.

In July 2003, Swindon Council announced it was taking over control of the school's finances and staff recruitment.

On September 2, 2003, the Evening Advertiser broke the news that head teacher John Wells, who had improved the school's GCSE results by 100 per cent during his three-year tenure, resigned.

On September 26, the police were called to the site to break up a disturbance after Headlands pupils attacked a school bus carrying pupils of St Joseph's School. One of the bus's windows was broken by a missile.

In March the process started for the 870-pupil school to be put through the Government's Fresh Start Initiative. Headlands will effectively close down at the end of term, re-opening in September with a new management team.