General

Mr Utrecht School says confidence in the board

The Participation Council (mr) of the School for Personal Education in Utrecht has withdrawn its confidence in the school board. The Education Inspectorate investigates, among other things, signals that have been received about the school.

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In a final, scheduled meeting in the current composition, the participation council decided on this step last Friday. 'The mr has not been able to build up confidence in the competent authority because of the treatment of the board,' says an mr report that was shared with the constituency last Monday.

The Utrecht School is one of five secondary schools for personal education founded by philosopher and economist Micha van Denderen. The Utrecht institution, together with the Amsterdam 'sister', is the youngest member of the tribe: they opened in August 2017, share the same school leader and will start with the third year after this summer.

No announcements

The Participation Council of the Utrecht School for Personal Education (Svpo), which started in March with one parent, two employees and a student, has informed the Education Inspectorate. The inspectorate is also aware of the progress within the teacher team. This summer, at least seven of the approximately sixteen employees will leave Utrecht, including two mr members.

The inspectorate is currently investigating the school, as is usual with new schools. In the investigation, the inspectorate also takes into account signals and concerns it has received from a number of parents about the social-pedagogical climate at school. Inspectors visited the school three times in recent months.

Inspectors visited the school three times in recent months

The inspectorate has also received signals about the school in Amsterdam. "We do not make any statements about the nature of this," said an inspection spokesperson. According to him, the Amsterdam school is not currently being investigated, but a regular investigation is planned.

Fresh start

Among other things, the Utrecht mr drew up a risk inventory with fifteen signals about social safety and the working and learning climate at school. The council writes that it does not feel that it is taken seriously in the way in which the board has dealt with these signals.

In a response by e-mail, Van Denderen, chairman of the board, points to the Education Blad reject the criticism. According to him, there is no evidence that the working and learning climate is lacking. 'We are disappointed that the recently appointed mr was mainly used to raise personal issues. Canceling the trust seems like an action comparable to angrily boning away and slamming the door behind you. '

We are disappointed that the newly appointed mr has mainly been used to raise personal issues

Mr. Chairman Kersten Meijnen responds when asked: “As a mr we represent the students, teachers and parents of Svpo Utrecht. When signals come from them, we naturally want to do something with them. The board then dismisses it as 'complaints from the mr' and thus questions our position. We cannot fulfill our role like this. ”

About the turnover within the team, Van Denderen responds that this is greater at a starting school. 'That was also the case with our other schools at the start and partly because a starting school attracts relatively more young teachers.' He expresses the hope that next school year the participation council in a new occupation can make a fresh start 'on the basis of mutual trust'.

The schools for personal education became known for the concept of small classes of sixteen students. In addition to the schools in Utrecht and Amsterdam, there are schools in the Zeeuwse Kapelle, the Frisian Hurdegeryp and the Geldermalsen in Gelderland. New schools are being added in Hoorn, Deventer and Hengelo.

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