Search is on for new head at troubled town school

A NEW principal is hoped to begin at Hinckley Parks Primary School at the beginning of the summer term.

The Owls (Oadby, Wigston and Leicestershire Schools) Trust is currently advertising for the post at the school in Leicester Road, with interviews to take place in November.

Previous head Cath Allison left at the beginning of the academic year, while the trust took over the school in September.

Education bosses at Hinckley Parks Primary are hoping a new principal will start at the beginning of the summer term.

Peter Merry, chief executive of the trust, said: “A number of potential candidates have taken the opportunity to walk around the school.

“The application process is open until the end of October with interviews set to take place on November 16. Our aim is that the new principal will start at the beginning of the summer term.

“An acting head is currently leading the school. We’re feeling very positive about the future and all staff are on board with that.

“We’re concentrating on moving Hinckley Parks Primary forward so that it can go from good to outstanding.

“There’s no doubt the school has been through some challenging times.”

Hinckley Parks was given a warning notice by Leicestershire County Council earlier this year for its poor key stage one performance and a number of parents had raised concerns about their children’s education.

A number had also taken their children out of the school.

A local authority investigation last year over concerns that senior staff members, including Mrs Allison, were involved in the “prolonged and systematic bullying” of fellow staff found no evidence of deliberate bullying.

However, it said relationships between senior management needed to improve.

Mr Merry has previously said that the trust has an “excellent track record of working with the local authority and all relevant educational establishments and partners to improve educational standards.”

Hinckley Parks Primary changed its name from Holliers Walk last year and moved to a new site in the town.