54 jobs will go at failing Telford schools

One third of the 54 staff to be axed at Sutherland Co-operative Academy, Wrockwardine Wood Arts Academy, Lakeside Academy and Phoenix Academy have been made compulsorily redundant, it has been revealed.

Some are as a direct result of the impending merger between Sutherland and Wrockwardine, with pupils moving on to a new single site near Oakengates Leisure Centre.

Others have come about as a result of a review of management structures since it was announced that the Communities Academy Trust would take over the running of the schools from September.

It comes after it was revealed last month that three of the four academy heads were to be replaced for the next academic year.

All four schools were given the worst possible "inadequate" rating by Government inspectors and placed into special measures following inspections while under the management of Telford Co-operative Multi-Academy Trust (TCMAT).

Peter Lawley, chairman of TCMAT, which is continuing to manage the schools until the new sponsors formally take over, said it was important to take "decisive action" for the future.

He said: "It was clear that we had to act decisively to ensure that the new sponsor has the best possible chance of delivering successful outcomes for the pupils of the four schools.

"The TCMAT board has worked co-operatively with the new sponsor to identify which areas needed to improve and how best to streamline the organisation to make it fit for purpose going forward.

"This work has included an extensive restructure of staffing.

"A total of 54 posts have been made redundant including a number at the highest levels of the organisation.

"This resulted in only 16 compulsory redundancies.

"Some of the redundancies are a direct result of the impending merger of two of the four schools.

"The changes have allowed for a new sense of collaboration across the trust and the potential that the future holds for the four schools as a multi-academy trust to be realised.

"Early forward-looking staff meetings have been received positively and the new leadership teams are working to ensure a purposeful start to the new term in September – with further announcements to come.

"We are confident that we are now leaving in place a model that will provide a firm basis for the new sponsor to oversee a successful organisation going forward from September."

Meanwhile, a leaked letter by outgoing finance chief David Gumsley emerged today that talks of a "fiasco" of the like he has never witnessed and describes "angry, humiliated and hurt" staff looking to jump before they are pushed.

It has also been claimed residents in Dawley were not consulted about plans to change the name of Phoenix Academy to Telford Langley School from September.