Principal of Belfast school facing financial crisis resigns
Move comes as Ben Madigan parents prepare to voice concern in crunch meeting
THE principal at one of Northern Ireland’s leading preparatory schools has tendered her resignation, as its future hangs in the balance.
Parents at Ben Madigan Prep, a feeder school for Belfast Royal Academy (BRA), were notified by the Board of Governors that Rebekah Dallas would be leaving at the end of the current school year.
It’s understood she tendered her resignation on Friday evening.
No reason has been given for Ms Dallas’ decision to leave the school.
The news comes ahead of an extraordinary general meeting this evening when parent members of BRA’S association The Academy, which has voting rights on decisions affecting Ben Madigan, are expected to continue their protests about a proposed closure.
The Board of Governors — who will hold their monthly meeting at 4pm today just ahead of the EGM — is expected to present a development proposal for the future of the school, which has said it is facing a “difficult financial situation”.
Last week the potential closure of the Cliftonville Road site was one of the main options being considered.
Parents have also written to the school seeking confirmation that all those who have applied to join The Academy will have their membership ratified at this afternoon’s monthly Board of Governors meeting, as has usually been the case.
“We are extremely alarmed by the change in wording received by some of the parents who submitted their applications earlier this month, as well as many reports of others not receiving any acknowledgement of their application at all,” parents said in their letter to the Board of Governors.
“Some applicants received confirmation from your office confirming that their applications would be considered at ‘the next meeting of the Board of
Governors’ only to get a further response of ‘the meeting of the 30th of April 2024’ when asked when the next meeting is scheduled to take place.
“This would suggest the Board of Governors have no intention to ratify all pending applications at your next meeting of Tuesday 26th of March 2024 which will by default fail to allow eligible Academy members to cast their vote in the subsequent Academy Members EGM at 6pm,” the parents continued.
Parents also warned that all those who have submitted their membership forms “will be on site at the school at 6pm to cast their vote”.
While the Board of Governors at Ben Madigan has denied any decision has been made to close the school at the end of the current school year, uncertainty has seen enrolment numbers drop from just over 100 at the start of this school year to the current level of 85.
On the resignation of the current principal, a letter to parents from school warden Eric Porter informed them: “It is with regret that I have accepted Mrs Rebekah’ Dallas’s resignation as Principal of Ben Madigan with effect from the end of this academic year.
“I would like to thank Mrs Dallas for the commitment, professionalism and integrity she has demonstrated during her time with us. She has always put the interests of the pupils and Ben Madigan at the centre of everything that she has done in her role as Principal and class teacher.
“On behalf of the Board, I extend my best wishes to Mrs Dallas and her family for this next stage in their lives.”
No reason was given for Mrs Dallas’s decision to step down from her position. Originally from England, she moved to Northern Ireland following her appointment in 2022. The school has been contacted for comment.
Parents have started an online petition calling for the resignation of Belfast Royal Academy principal Hilary Woods and have gathered over 400 signatures.
BRA continues to maintain no decision has yet been taken on the future of the prep, pending publication of a development proposal.
The school said that “given the very real concerns around the educational and financial sustainability of Ben Madigan, the board of governors has taken the extremely difficult decision to recommend to the members of the academy that they permit the school to initiate the process leading to the publication of a development proposal”.
In January, parents were asked to pay up to an extra £1,000 a year in fees per pupil. Parents said that at no stage over the past few years had they been made aware of any financial difficulties the school was experiencing, and that despite repeated request for answers and offers of assistance they have been met with silence.
‘I’d like to thank Mrs Dallas for the commitment, professionalism and integrity she has demonstrated during her time with us’