School’s board of governers replaced
A NEW board of governors has been drafted in to take charge of a troubled primary school.
It is now more than a week since the dramatic closure of The Bollin Primary in Bowdon, Altrincham, following a major row between headteacher Michelle Brindle and school staff.
The school has since been reopened in phases under the leadership of an interim headteacher, Kylie Spark.
Council bosses say they have now secured permission from the Department of Education to replace the board of governors at the school.
They say the existing board – including chair Tony Field – will be taken over by an interim executive board (IEB). The new board will be responsible for improving standards and attainment at the school, as well as resolving the ‘serious breakdown of working relationships.’
A spokesman for Trafford council said: “The council has applied to the Department for Education (Section 65 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006) for an Interim Executive Board, which has been approved. Delegated authority has been withdrawn from the existing governing body of the Bollin Primary School and an IEB established. The purpose of the IEB is to accelerate improvement in standards and attainment and provide challenge to the leadership of the school to secure rapid improvement, or where there has been a serious breakdown of working relationships within the governing body of the school. “The IEB will take on the responsibilities of a normally constituted governing body, including the management of the budget, the curriculum, staffing, pay and performance management.” The conflict between Ms Brindle and staff has been ongoing since September.
And the row at the school escalated dramatically after education bosses stepped in to close down the school on Monday, February 27.
The unprecedented action came as a video emerged on social media of parents and teachers having a party in the school premises, which appears to show chanting and toasting the apparent victory against school leaders.
Several employees at the school had been suspended as part of an investigation into the controversial footage.
The M.E.N. has contacted The Bollin Primary School for a response regarding the latest developments.