Head suspended at school that filtered out lower-grade pupils
THE headmaster of a grammar school that came under fire after it told “under-performing” pupils they could not continue their A-level studies has been suspended pending an investigation.
Aydin Önaç was suspended from his role at St Olave’s Grammar School in Orpington, Kent, yesterday.
The school found itself at the centre of a row this summer after parents launched legal action over a decision to withdraw places from two sixth-formers who had failed to achieve Bs in any of their subjects taken in the first year, preventing them from carrying on into Year 13. Judicial review proceedings against the governing body of St Olave’s were initiated, with the claimants arguing that the decision was a form of unlawful exclusion.
The high-achieving school reversed its decision before a hearing took place and the legal action was dropped.
Yesterday, Dr Paul Wright, chairman of St Olave’s governing body announced Mr Önaç had been suspended.
In a statement he said: “I have been informed that the London Borough of Bromley will be conducting an investigation of St Olave’s Grammar School in respect of concerns that have been raised over recent weeks. In light of this, and in order to protect the integrity of the investigation, Mr Önaç has been suspended from all of his responsibilities as headmaster of the school. Please remember that this suspension is without prejudice and does not presume any particular outcome.”
A spokesman for Bromley council said: “Bromley council has been working very closely with the new head of governors at St Olave’s in response to recent events and can confirm that there will be an investigation into concerns raised, though we cannot comment further at this time.”
This year, 96 per cent of the school’s A-level entries scored at least a B grade, with 76 per cent achieving an A* or A.
The row sparked a debate about whether schools should be allowed to prevent pupils from continuing their studies if they failed to achieve certain grades.