Parents at an alternative north shore public school, Lindfield Learning Village, say they have been left blindsided after the sudden departure of its entire leadership team including the principal and two deputies.
In a letter to the school community on Friday afternoon, the NSW Education Department told parents there is an internal investigation under way “that does not involve child protection issues”.
“The school community can be assured that the innovative educational model offered at Lindfield Learning Village continues under a relieving principal and school leadership team,” the letter said.
Lindfield Learning Village opened in 2019 on the site of the old UTS Ku-Ring-Gai campus.
The comprehensive public primary and high school, which opened in 2019 on the site of the old University of Technology Ku-Ring-Gai campus, is known for its unconventional approach to education. There are no uniforms or school bells, no traditional grade levels and teachers are called by their first name.
Students are taught using “project-based, multidisciplinary learning” methods in open classroom spaces. Its approach is controversial, and many in the education sector have previously argued its methods are faddish, experimental and untested. The school had no official catchment zone when it opened, but now has a set intake area and 838 students enrolled.
Parents were told on May 28 that the school’s principal, Stephanie McConnell, would be “engaged by the NSW Education Department in another role for a period of time”, and Chatswood High School’s principal David Osland would step in as relieving principal.
Lindfield Learning Village does not have traditional grades and the primary timetable is flexible.
On Thursday, parents were told the school’s deputy principals, Lou Deibe and Mark Burgess, would be moving to other roles in the department.
“I recognise that this represents a significant change to the leadership for Lindfield Learning Village,” the letter from Stacey Exner, the Gordon Network’s director educational leadership said. “I would like to reiterate the department’s commitment to [the school’s] current structure, educational model and its ethos of high-quality teaching and learning for every student.”
In a separate letter to parents, Exner acknowledged that “recent and sudden changes have caused concern and distress for which I am sorry. The wellbeing and safety of our students and staff are a priority, and we have ensured that counselling support is available for those who would like to access it at the school. It would be inappropriate to discuss the specifics of the current situation at [the school].”
One parent, who spoke anonymously to talk freely, said many parents were “bewildered” by the series of announcements.
“Dozens of families decided to keep their children home today. Many of us made a deliberate decision to choose this school. Parents are frustrated and feel like there has been a lack of transparency about why this has happened,” he said.
Acting president of the school’s P&C association, Danya Webb, said despite being given assurances the school’s pedagogy and teaching methods would not change, many parents were concerned about the unexpected switch in leadership.
“A lot of parents feel lost. This is not an insignificant upheaval, it affects the stability of the school and the mood of parents, and also the children. We love our school and want our children to thrive there,” Webb said. “It’s progressive in its educational approach and the kids are highly engaged.”
One parent of a senior school student, who spoke anonymously to discuss the issue freely, said it was “an extraordinary situation” that the principal and two deputy principals of the school “have just been removed with absolutely no explanation whatsoever”.
He said he had previously flagged concerns with the school that the school did not have a “normal” report card system delivered to parents at the end of each term.
“We had no knowledge of our son’s performance or progress. Instead, there was a student-led reporting system where the student assessed their own performance with a “mentor” present,” he said.
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