Heads of three failing Telford schools lose their jobs

Fresh leadership will be brought in to run Sutherland Co-operative Academy, Wrockwardine Wood Arts Academy, Phoenix Academy and Lakeside Academy, which have all been placed in special measures.

Peter Lawley, chairman of Telford Multi Co-operative Academy Trust which manages and oversees the four schools, said the move was being taken in a bid to turn their fortunes around.

Steve Wall, Trevor Goddard and John Jones, who were in charge at Sutherland, Lakeside and Wrockwardine Wood respectively, will be made redundant at the end of August.

Steve Carter, currently acting head at Phoenix, will become executive headteacher of both Phoenix and Lakeside Schools, Mr Lawley said.

Lee Taylor, a deputy head at Sutherland, will be promoted to head at Lakeside, while Stacey Jordan, also a deputy head at Sutherland, will take on the newly-merged Telford Co-operative Academy made up of Sutherland and Wrockwardine Wood pupils on a new site.

Mr Lawley said: "We are pleased to confirm the appointments have been made, with effect from September 1, to the schools of Telford Multi Co-operative Academy Trust (TCMAT), as headteachers.

"The fact that all the appointments have been made from within the existing staffing structure we believe demonstrates that, despite the measures into which the schools were placed earlier this year by Ofsted, there are nevertheless significant strengths also evident."

Speaking on the future of the current heads, Mr Lawley said it was incorrect to say they had been dismissed or resigned.

"Inevitably, within a restructure process, posts become redundant, especially where a merger is concerned," Mr Lawley said.

"So the existing posts of principal at Lakeside, Sutherland and Wrockwardine Wood will all cease as at the end of August and the current postholders will leave via redundancy."

TMCAT will remain in charge of the academies until new sponsors formally take over in September.