AN MP has raised serious concerns about Bradford Girls’ Grammar School at the highest level.

In a letter to the school, seen by the Telegraph & Argus, Bradford West MP Naz Shah said she felt the school was “lacking transparency, withholding information and has a culture of silencing concerns through worrying undertones, rather than collectively working with parents”.

Among the issues raised in the letter, which has been sent to Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi, was a legal threat from the school over a group formed by parents.

The letter said: “Last year, parents formed a WhatsApp group to communicate the concerns they had about the school's current failings.

READ MORE: Three Bradford schools on Ofsted's worst-performing list

“I am told as a consequence of this, rather than the school calling in parents and listening to their concerns, the school issued a formal legal action letter ordering the parents to dissolve the group."

The MP also said parents feel the process of going into a trust "has been rushed and done behind closed doors and without any parental consultation".

She added that "parents feel at times the school's leadership rather than working with them, treats them with contempt". 

The MP said: "The concerns of the parents centre around the school’s failure to consult with parents on a number of matters.

"The concerns raised to me amount to serious neglect and care towards concerned parents who have an important stake in the future of the school.”

A spokesperson for the Squire Lane school said matters raised with the school are taken seriously and it is currently in the process of liaising with the MP.

They said: “Providing a supportive and positive environment for our pupils is of the utmost importance. Action was taken to dissolve what appeared to be an official school forum – rectifying any potential misrepresentation and removing barriers to participation.

“However, we wholly welcome involvement and engagement from parents, staff, and the wider community directly with the school, as we recognise the vital role they play in shaping our provision.”

The school said it is working to drive rapid improvement following its ‘inadequate’ Ofsted rating in 2019 and it is exploring the possibility of joining a Multi Academy Trust.

The statement added: “Every decision made is always in the best interest of our pupils and as appropriate, we will be inviting parents to share their views to ensure any feedback is taken into consideration as part of this process.

“As these plans progress, we will be sure to provide all relevant parties with updates in a timely manner.”