What is wrong with telling people that Newton follows the English National Curriculum? I have also acknowledged that the sports facilities at N.I.S. are not as good as they could be and I have done what I can to draw this to the attention of the headmistress. Why does this show a bad "tone"?  

Yes, Antihippo, leaving a school is often easier than staying and trying to do what you can to improve the quality of the education that is offered to the children. One of the reasons that the owner of the school, Madam Afaf, feels that she has to be actively involved in the running of the school is that, unfortunately, some teachers have been unprofessional and have not kept to the terms of their contracts.