19/10/2026
Public Statement Regarding Comments on the ‘Alston Moor Matters’ Facebook Group
The leadership team and Governing Board of Alston Moor Federation wish to respond publicly to comments made about Samuel King’s School (SKS) on the Facebook group ‘Alston Moor Matters’, following the sharing of a Cumberland News article on 8 October 2026 reporting on the school’s largely positive Ofsted inspection.
We recognise the importance of freedom of speech and the right of individuals to express their views about local schools. However, when comments are made in a public forum, it is important that inaccurate statements, serious allegations and opinions presented as current experience are addressed openly and factually.
Parental comments and social media policies
It has been claimed that the school has social media policies which restrict parents from making comments that are not wholly positive about the school. This is incorrect. Neither Samuel King’s School nor Alston Moor Federation has a policy that prevents parents from expressing criticism or sharing their experiences on social media. We do not seek to silence legitimate concerns or prevent people from expressing their opinions.
The relevance of past experiences
Comments have also questioned the validity of positive responses to the school’s news coverage, suggesting that those engaging positively have little or no connection with the school. This is an assumption that cannot reasonably be made. Since January 2024, when Mr Dawson became Headteacher, the school has grown from 88 pupils to 131. It is entirely possible that many people connected to the school, including newer families, are not known personally to everyone in the local community. Furthermore, an increasing number of families choose to send their children to SKS from beyond Alston, including from as far away as Wolsingham in County Durham.
It is also important to distinguish between historical experience and the school as it operates today. Some of the comments made on the group refer to personal experiences of the school, but the most recent of these experiences predate the current leadership team, which took up its responsibilities from January 2024 onwards. While everyone is entitled to their opinions and past experiences should not be dismissed, they cannot automatically be treated as an accurate reflection of the school’s current provision, culture or leadership.
Allegations of bullying by staff
A comment on the group suggested that pupils would rebel when teachers are the ones bullying them. Bullying by members of staff is a serious allegation and must not be treated lightly. If anyone has specific evidence of bullying involving staff at Samuel King’s School, we encourage them to raise it directly with the school so that it can be investigated through the appropriate procedures.
We will always take safeguarding concerns, allegations of inappropriate conduct and complaints seriously. However, generalised allegations made publicly, without supporting evidence or sufficient context, risk causing unjustified harm to staff and the wider school community.
The Ofsted inspection
The comments on ‘Alston Moor Matters’ also questioned the credibility of the school’s Ofsted inspection, asserting that inspectors would not have witnessed pupils being spoken to badly during an inspection, and that the inspection outcomes were therefore entirely false.
We believe it is important to correct any impression that an Ofsted inspection is simply a brief visit during which inspectors rely solely on what they happen to see in classrooms. The inspection process involves a range of evidence-gathering activities, including discussions with pupils, opportunities for pupils to share their views independently of staff, and parental feedback through an anonymous survey. Inspectors consider and triangulate evidence from multiple sources when reaching their judgements.
It is therefore not reasonable to guarantee what inspectors would or would not have witnessed, particularly for someone who was not present during the inspection and whose experience of the school predates the current leadership team. Disagreement with an inspection outcome is a matter of personal opinion; dismissing the process as wholly false without a sound basis is another matter.
Our position and our commitment to the school community
Samuel King’s School has made significant progress in recent years, although we recognise that there is always more work to do. As one of the smallest secondary schools in England, we take particular pride in knowing our pupils as individuals and in providing a caring environment in which they can develop academically, socially and personally.
We will not claim that every experience of the school has been positive, nor would we suggest that the school is beyond criticism. Constructive challenge is an important part of school improvement, and we welcome concerns that are raised through appropriate channels and can be properly considered.
However, repeated public comments that are inaccurate, unsupported or based entirely on experiences from 2023 or earlier, risk presenting a misleading picture of the school today. They can also have a damaging effect on the reputation of the school and the staff who work hard to support its pupils.
Mr Dawson, the leadership team and the Governing Board remain committed to the continued improvement of Samuel King’s School and to ensuring that pupils receive the best possible education and care.
We respect the right of individuals to hold critical views of the school. In return, we ask that public discussion recognises the distinction between historical grievances and current circumstances, and that serious allegations are supported by evidence and raised through the appropriate channels.
Our priority remains the pupils, families and staff of Samuel King’s School, and the continued success of the school at the heart of our community.
The School Leadership Team and Governing Board
Alston Moor Federation
