Eastbrook School is on the up

As the Headteacher at Eastbrook School I would like to respond to your report on page 11 last week about our determination to match the excellent progress made by our fellow schools, Robert Clack and Barking Abbey.

Staff, governors, students and their families are working together to leave behind the difficulties of the past, and the main body of the text of your report is accurate and fair in reporting our current stage of the journey.

However, the photograph of Eastbrook School is very old, and unlike the photographs of Robert Clack and Barking Abbey, has no students in it.

Presenting these photographs side by side sends a very negative message about our school.

Also, you report that 'students had been working very hard to catch up on 16 subject areas where they had fallen behind, when in fact what was reported to the Post was 'Behind the headline results there were many good news stories - students who had achieved very well, students who worked hard to catch up after falling behind, and 16 subject areas raised their results.'

I am proud to be the Headteacher of Eastbrook, have great confidence in the students, and thank our hardworking and committed staff, and have faith in the great future the school has ahead.

Eastbrook School will not close, and it is not struggling. It is rising above a range of obstacles - and winning!

Our future improved results will contribute to the overall rise in achievement in Barking and Dagenham; we are not in competition with our neighbouring schools, we all aim to raise the opportunities for our students through the pursuit of an excellent education.

Valerie Dennis

Headteacher

Eastbrook School