AN INTERIM headteacher has been employed at a special needs school in Warwick just weeks after its board of governors was disbanded following concerns over the way it was being run.
Warwickshire County Council says Round Oak School’s headteacher Kate Steven’s is ‘not in school at the moment’ and in her absence Judith Humphrey will carry out the role.
It comes just weeks after the board of governors at the Brittain Lane school was disbanded and replaced with an Interim Executive Board, appointed by the local authority following concerns about governance and financial management.
At the time the council said Ms Stevens would continue to lead the school, which has some 140 pupils.
But now Mrs Humphrey, who is also executive head at Stratford’s Welcome Hills special school, has taken over the role and says she will be working to identify areas for improvement at the school.
In a letter to parents and carers of pupils she wrote: “Governors at Round Oak asked if I could move to Round Oak for a period of time (at this point I am not sure how long) to be interim headteacher in Kate’s absence.
“Clearly part of the role of head is to evaluate the position of the school and identify areas for development and this is what I have been doing during these early days.
“I am in the process of writing the school development plan which will be published when I am done.”
She says priorities for the plan include a curriculum which meets pupil’s individual needs, effective transition into and out of school, developing the relationship with parents and addressing the school’s reputation.
She added: “I have discovered a hard-working staff and delightful pupils who are happy and enthusiastic at school and who have made me feel very welcome.
“I know many of you have been anxious about things at school and I promise that I will do my best to address those anxieties.”
A Warwickshire County Council spokesperson said: “The students at Round Oak are the priority and with that in mind, Warwickshire County Council will continue to work with the Interim Executive Board and the school to minimise any disruption.”
