HEAD OF TROUBLED SCHOOL RESIGNS

Pupil has voiced fears that shortage of teachers could hit exam prospects:

THE headteacher of a troubled secondary school has quit.

Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern principal Catrin Jones Hughes, pictured, has stepped down from the position “following a period of illness”, parents have been told.

It comes after a pupil spoke to our sister paper, the Daily Post, about how a lack of full-time teachers at the Anglesey, school had left her fellow students worried they were going to fail their GCSE exams.

In a statement, the school’s governing body said: “Following a period of illness, the headteacher, Mrs Catrin Jones Hughes has decided to leave Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern.

“She would like to note that she leaves with many fond memories of a multitude of achievements over the past 12 years and wishes the school well for the future.

“The headteacher’s post will be advertised in line with the school’s custom process and procedure.

“Best wishes are extended to Mrs

Hughes for the future.”

The announcement came on the same day that a 16-year-old pupil at the school spoke out about pupils being “let down” due to a lack of full-time teaching staff.

She said that pupils heading towards their GCSE exams later this year were having to rely on substitute teachers and after-school lessons due to several staff members leaving and not being replaced.

The school has also been beset with problems in recent months following a large-scale row between teachers and the head teacher of the school.

The pupil, who asked not to be named, said these issues were now impacting on pupils’ learning.

“We now are having to give our personal time up to learn these things. There is lots of worry, lots of stress and lots of panic. It could affect us trying to get into sixth form or college.

“We feel that the school has let us down.”

The girl’s concerns come after teachers at the school last year reportedly passed a vote of no confidence in the head teacher.

In response to the girl’s concerns, Anglesey Council said: “Every school has appropriate procedures in place that allow pupils and parents to raise their concerns or complaints.

The BBC said staff made a number of complaints about the head in a letter to the governors and the local authority.

“We would encourage them to use these procedures so that issues of concern can be investigated.”

They declined to provide any further comment about the head teacher’s decision to step down.