Grammar head fired for naming teachers on strike
THE head teacher of a leading grammar school has been sacked after sending parents a list of striking teachers.
Charlotte Jordan, 45, who ran King Edward VI Five Ways School in Birmingham, was told to leave on Tuesday. The school described the incident that prompted her firing as a ‘data breach related to industrial action’ in a statement.
It has referred the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office and has begun its own investigation. Mrs Jordan’s email to parents is thought to relate to strikes by members of the National Education Union last month.
One parent, who contacted Mail Online, said: ‘It is a huge surprise. She was just settling in as the head teacher and now there will be a further period of instability.
‘She clearly made a mistake, but probably thought the parents had a right to know.’
Asked about her dismissal, Ms Jordan said at her home in south Birmingham: ‘I am sorry but there is nothing I can say about this at the moment.’
In a statement, the school said: ‘Mrs Charlotte Jordan will be leaving her role as Headmistress of King Edward VI Five Ways School on Tuesday 28 February. We thank Charlotte for her leadership and contribution to the school and the wider foundation.
‘The Academy Trust’s investigation into the data breach at King Edward VI Five Ways School related to industrial action earlier this month is ongoing.’
A spokesman for the ICO said: ‘People have the right to expect that organisations will handle their personal information securely and responsibly. If an individual has concerns about how their data has been handled, they should raise it with the organisation first, then report them to us if they are not satisfied with the response.’
Ms Jordan is only the second woman to hold the job of head teacher at the school in its 140-year history. The school, which is set in 30 acres, describes itself as a ‘highly selective, co- educational state grammar school’. It is consistently ranked as one of the best schools in Birmingham.