THE principal of Sandown Bay Academy has resigned.
Citing 'personal and family reasons', Claire Charlemagne has tendered her resignation, which becomes effective at the end of the academic year on August 31.
In a letter to parents and carers published on the academy’s website, she told them: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the support you have shown me over the past two years.
“It has been a great honour and pleasure to work alongside the governors and staff to provide for the children and young people in our care.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the many achievements and successes of our students in so many areas of school life.
“I remain firmly committed to the academy for the duration of the summer term and will work tirelessly throughout this period of transition, to ensure the very best for the students and the school.
“Further detail of the transition arrangements will be communicated by Academies Enterprise Trust [the organisation which runs the academy] within the next few days.”
AET, which recently announced 18 proposed redundancies among teachers and support staff, was accused of siphoning resources from Sandown to other schools, a charge it flatly denied.
When she took over in 2015, Ofsted acknowledged improvements she put in place but the last A*- C GCSE results showed a nine per cent drop.
AET said new leadership arrangements would be put in place ready for the new term in September.
AET chief executive Julian Drinkall said: “We are extremely grateful to Claire for all she has done for the school.
“We are very pleased she will remain leading Sandown Bay through to the end of the school year, and we know she will continue providing the strong leadership, commitment and support she has always shown to the school, its staff and its pupils.”