ANGRY parents have taken to social media to complain about the sudden departure of a West Somerset school senior leader after he began investigating allegations of bullying among staff.

A petition has also been started to demand reinstatement for Mark Foden as interim deputy head of Danesfield Middle School, in Williton.

The petition, launched by parent Gemma Glasson, attracted 130 signatures in its first five days.

Ms Glasson said Danesfield previously had a ‘toxic environment’ until Mr Foden became ‘a beacon of change’ when he took on the deputy head role and ‘brought about epic transformations’.

She said: “Mr Foden pulled us out of a dark phase by investigating and uprooting the bullying culture running rampant among staff.

“His relentless pursuit of justice led to his abrupt and unjust dismissal.

“In such a short range of time, Mr Foden’s impact has altered the narrative for the better and his enforced removal poses a threat to the strides made.

“It is our responsibility to stand with Mr Foden and champion the values of justice, hard work, and commitment to student welfare that he embodies.”

Mr Foden was one of three temporary staff hired last summer by Beacon Education, which runs Danesfield and five other West Somerset schools and four nurseries.

Education regulator Ofsted said after an inspection last year Danesfield had shown some improvements, but overall was still rated as ‘Requires Improvement’.

English and physical education teacher Steve Ladd has been appointed acting deputy headteacher following the termination of Mr Foden’s contract.

One parent, Rachel Louise Corbett, said on social media: “The school before the change was absolutely shocking and the interim heads had finally started to make the school bearable again.”

Another parent, Clare Knight, said: “The change in the school since this man came in is unreal.

“We have had bullying issues in the past that were ignored/swept under the carpet.

“Since this gentleman came in, all issues were addressed directly, everything was sorted.”

Zara Hopwood said: “He has turned the school around so far. The place is going mad.”

A statement provided to the Free Press by Beacon Education read: “The interim leadership team, along with our staff team, pupils, parents, and community partners, has made significant progress in improving the school which is moving towards a bright future.

“There is a firm commitment from the whole school community to continue this journey.

“While we appreciate the contributions made by Mr Foden as part of this team effort, his temporary contract has now come to an end, as we continue our progress to work towards appointing a permanent leadership team.

“We continue to keep parents updated on our progress and encourage them to share any concerns with the school directly.

“Our focus continues to be on delivering the best provision for our young people and ensuring that all our staff have the support they need in order to provide that.”