Parents at a school that faced a “turbulent” summer during an academisation row have spoken out against industrial action.

More than 100 parents of pupils at The John Roan school have signed an open letter supporting the school’s “robust” improvement plan following a damning Ofsted inspection earlier this year which led to an academy order.

The result of the  inspection, which rated the school as inadequate, was released in June, and found a high turnover of headteachers had affected pupils for the worse, with GCSE results plummeting and an increase in temporary staff.

To the disappointment of Greenwich Council and many parents, an academy order was issued by the government calling for the school to join the University Schools Trust.

At the time, councillors and MP Matthew Pennycook spoke out against the school being turned into an academy.

A campaign against academisation has had a petition backed my more than 1,000 people, and there have been several days of strike action at the school.

Now, more than 100 parents have signed an open letter supporting the school, and calling for an end to industrial action.

The letter says that despite different views regarding the government’s academy policy, the  ‘Parents for John Roan’ campaign does not speak for all parents’ views and is “not representative of the diverse community of parents across the school”.

The letter continues: “The appropriate context for campaigning against an academy order is at a national political level or within a legal framework, and not within the local school it affects.

“We understand that neither the governing body, school leadership or local authority are in a position to resist the enforcement of the order or reverse it, but all have a legal requirement to comply with the process of conversion to the named sponsor, even if it is not what many parents or staff want to see happen.”

The letter also takes aim at a series of strikes at the school, calling industrial action “disruptive” and “destabilising” for the school community.

It continues: “The six days of strike action damaged staff and student morale and caused unnecessary additional stress for students facing their end of year 11 and 13 exams, as well as sending a message to the wider community that the school was in chaos.

“It did not alter (and indeed could never have altered) the position the school is in regarding the enforced conversion to an Academy”, the letter states.

“We are strongly opposed to further industrial action in the school.

“We believe it will be counter-productive: it will not achieve the aim of changing the implementation of the academy order, and it will be detrimental both to the current school community and those in our local area who are considering whether to choose The John Roan for their children’s education in the future.”

Parents have also backed the current headteacher and an improvement plan, citing notable changes and improved behaviour management over recent weeks.

At the time of publication, it is understood that 104 parents have signed the open letter.

A group of parents and teachers led by the National Education Union have launched a crowdfunding campaign to challenge the Ofsted decision legally.

Tim Woodcock, divisional secretary Greenwich NEU, said the union speaks for over 60 members of staff that are “implacably opposed” to becoming an academy.

He said: “The NEU will continue to fight with our members at The John Roan against this unjust system.  If we fight we have a chance of winning for this school and this community if we do nothing we have lost already.

“As a union we often face what appear to be insurmountable odds however our members know that much of what has been won already for example the council support in the school; the school opening this term as a community school; posts being advertised and positions filled; curriculum options remaining and many others, are as a direct result of the action that teachers and support staff have taken in support of their pupils, their community and their school.”