GOVERNORS quit en-masse after being warned over “systemic and repeated weaknesses in school’s finances due to poor financial management and oversight”, the Echo can reveal.

In January, Southend Council wrote a strongly-worded warning letter to the chair of governors at Heycroft Primary School in Eastwood demanding a rapid improvement plan after concerns emerged.

The entire governing body later quit and an interim executive board has been put in place to lead the school.

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In the letter from Michael Marks, Southend Council’s executive director for children and public health, governors were told they were “unable to demonstrate a sufficient level of knowledge and awareness of the school’s safeguarding procedures…to enable the governing body to assure themselves of the safety and wellbeing of the children and staff”.

On financial management, the letter – revealed to the Echo following a Freedom of Information request - added: “The local authority has…concerns regarding the leadership and governance arrangements for Heycroft Primary School.

“Specifically, that systemic and repeated weaknesses in the school’s finances are due to poor financial management and oversight.

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"This includes a lack of forward planning, awareness of the school’s systems and processes, and scrutiny and challenge, leading to significant overspending beyond the school’s delegated budget.”

It added: “ Governors do not have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the school’s strategy, priorities, and improvement plans.”

The letter further warned: “Governors  have  insufficient  oversight  of  health  and  safety  within  the  school.

 “This means  that  the  governing  body  is  not  able  to  ensure  and  satisfy  themselves  that appropriate health and safety arrangements are in place to identify health and safety risks within  the  school  nor  is  it  able  to  assure  itself  that  appropriate  and  timely  action  is undertaken to mitigate significant Health and Safety concerns when they are identified.

“The safety of pupils or staff could be called into question, as a result of governors’ lack of awareness and oversight of these safeguarding and health and safety concerns.

Robert McMullan, Lib Dem councillor for Eastwood Park, insisted parents were not worried about the quality of education at the school.

He said: “The school is certainly working to improve and I am pleased early action was taken to address the issues.

“The school is going through the process of identifying changes and I am not aware of any dramatic changes yet.

"It is early days in that respect.” The school’s expenditure for 2021-22 was £2.16 million compared to an income of £2.11 million. However, the figures also show there was cash in reserve.