Sir - With regard to your article Parents want head to go (June 13), I would like to set the record straight.

The petitioners who want the head of Bayards Hill School removed make three main claims: that the school should have done more to resolve a year-long feud between two families, that there is "on-going" bullying and because of a recent Ofsted report .

Even though resolving conflict between neighbours is not the responsibility of the school, Keith Ponsford has supported initiatives by the police to try to resolve the dispute and the police have gone out of their way to publicly praise Keith for the support he has given them.

The Ofsted report found that on the few occasions bullying occurs it is dealt with effectively, pupils feel safe and an adult is always available if they have any problems or concerns.

This finding was confirmed by a second, more recent review by the local authority.

The Ofsted report gave the school "Notice to improve" entirely on the basis of the pupils' SATs results.

The report found that leadership and management are satisfactory, that a good school improvement plan is in place, teaching and learning is satisfactory, that most parents who commented are positive about school, and that recent improvements in teaching mean that the progress pupils are now making in lessons is accelerating.

The petitioners' misrepresentation of events at the school must not be allowed to undermine the progress the school is making under the excellent leadership provided by Keith Ponsford, who has my full and unreserved backing.

I have every confidence that the academic attainment of the children will continue to improve, which is the goal of everyone concerned with the school.

Mike Parkinson, Chairman of governors, Bayards Hill School