A PETITION calling for an investigation into alleged problems at Richmond School has been submitted to the authorities amid claims of a cover-up.

More than 200 people have signed a request for an independent examination of recent events at the secondary school.

The petition, launched by parent Howard Smith, from Aske, near Richmond, has been submitted to North Yorkshire County Council, the Education Secretary Michael Gove and the interim executive board (IEB), which was brought in to run the school after the previous board of governors resigned.

Mr Smith said: “In two weeks over 200 local people have called for an independent investigation into what has been going wrong with the management at Richmond School in recent years.

“Pupils, parents, teachers past and present and members of the local community want to see something done to restore the justifiably high reputation that Richmond School has enjoyed until recently.

“An independent investigation is the only way forward now.”

The county council confirmed it had received the petition.

County councillor Arthur Barker, executive member for schools, said: “We acknowledge that the process of putting in an independent interim executive board of governors has given rise to much speculation as to the reasons for this.

“We have been clear all along that whilst the detail of the warning notice given to the school’s previous governing body is a confidential document, the reason for this course of action was that there had been a serious breakdown in relationships between the school leadership and the governing body.”

Coun Barker said the priorities of the IEB were to establish a strategic direction and proper stewardship of the school, operate as critical friend to the leadership and work for the good of all students.

“It is approaching this work with energy, enthusiasm and an independence that we welcome,” he added.