PARENTS are getting their chance to shape the future of a York secondary school.

Canon Lee School in Clifton, with just under 600 pupils on roll, has surveyed parents to get their views on a range of issues including what they think about links with further education colleges, looking at broadening the curriculum, asking about homework and looking at what guidance can be offered.

On a broader level the school council is looking at the school uniform and whether it should be given an overhaul, and, as previously reported in The Press, whether changing the school name would be welcomed as part of a rebranding exercise.

Acting head teacher Frances Johnston officially took the helm at the school after head teacher Christine Holbrey left "after a difficult period for her personally that included the death of her mother".

Ms Johnston said: "We need to engage better with the local community and parents. One of the things I wanted to make sure of was that I am approachable to parents ad I have met with countless parents over the last three or four months, because of the uncertainty caused by a head teacher who wasn't here.

"My role isn't permanent at the moment, but we are working with City of York Council looking at forward planning and we have got a tremendous staff and pupils."

She said the survey had so far yielded a good number of responses and the school is open to replies for the next week or two, after that they will be reviewed in detail and an action plan drawn up.

Ms Johnson said she has an open door policy to staff and parents.

She said: "I have been holding open sessions for parents to come in and see me and it is school policy that parents with pupils in Year 6 don't need an appointment, they can come and look round the school when they like."

Ms Johnston came to Canon Lee last year having worked at larger schools in Wakefield, Bradford and Leeds in senior management positions and the York acting headship is her first. She said she will continue to be acting head for the foreseeable future, certainly for the rest of this academic year while the a recruitment process for a new head teacher takes place.