£100,000 head quits before academy opens

Reporter: KAREN DOHERTY
Date online: 16 March 2010

THE head of one of Oldham’s controversial academies has stepped down before it even opens.

Mystery surrounds the surprise departure of Jackie Nellis who was appointed principal designate of Waterhead Academy last May at the age of 46.

There are fears that it could delay the launch of the Oldham college-run academy which will replace Breeze Hill and Counthill schools.

But this has been denied by college bosses who signed the formal funding agreement with the Government last week.

They say the academy will open as planned in the existing buildings in September, before moving into a new school in Waterhead in September, 2012

The principal’s post was advertised with a minimum salary of £100,000.

Staff and unions have been told Mrs Nellis is leaving for “professional and personal” reasons.

Joe Fitzpatrick, chairman of governors at Breeze Hill, welcomed the departure.

He said governors had major concerns about the handling of the merger which had been raised with local MP Phil Woolas. “I think we are heading for a major crash with the academy. Bringing the two schools together is not going as well as it could be going, and we have major concerns that much of the community doesn’t realise that we are creating an academy.

“Things that have been done have been done badly. All the staff at both the schools are furious. They have managed to upset everybody, all of the teachers and all of the support staff, with their new arrangements and their structures.

“They haven’t even set out the timetable for next year, but they have decided to move to hour-long lessons.”

Academies are a flagship Government policy to turn around poorly performing schools. Five Oldham secondaries will be replaced with three academies run by sponsors under the borough’s £266 million Building Schools for the Future scheme.

Mrs Nellis was previously head at Carlton Bolling College, Bradford, helping to transform it from a failing school into an outstanding one.

The planned merger of Counthill and Breeze Hill has had a controversial history and most recently angry staff raised concerns about how jobs were being ringfenced in the new academy.

Counthill head teacher David Lack also voiced doubts about replacing his school, one of the country’s fastest improving, in an interview in the Times Educational Supplement.

Bryan Beckingham, Oldham branch secretary of the National Union of Teachers, believes the latest setback could put the opening in jeopardy.

He added: “It is not long to get someone else.

“It shows the problems with academies. They are under so much pressure to deliver that the turnover of academy heads is huge, they come and go very quickly.

“Over the months I have got to know Jackie Nellis I have grown to respect her. Although we oppose academies, I thought she had done a good job.”

Oldham College principal Alan Francis was at Downing Street yesterday and unable to speak to the Chronicle.

However, a college statement confirmed that an announcement about a new principal designate was expected soon.

It added: “Jackie has decided for personal and professional reasons to pursue other career options. She has helped the academy greatly over the last seven months.

“Jackie herself also would like to thank all of the project team.”