Head of sixth form at the Basildon Academies quits (From Southend Standard)

Head of sixth form at the Basildon Academies quits

8:00am Wednesday 16th January 2013 in Echo News Exclusive By Melissa Hills

Head of sixth form at the Basildon Academies quits

THE director of sixth form at the Basildon Academies has sensationally quit just days after the Education Secretary said he would be taking action against the failing school.

Cambridge University graduate Ginny Parry was brought in last year under a raft of changes brought in by former headteacher Dr Rory Fox just weeks after the school was plunged into special measures by Ofsted.

The news comes just two days after Michael Gove spoke out on regional television and said he would take action over the troubled schools, but didn't reveal what course of action.

Mrs Parry, 32, worked closely with Dr Fox on revamping the sixth form, which is the only school sixth form in Basildon, to bring in new subjects and an enrichment programme to give students advice about life at university and career skills.

She studied teaching at Durham University and did her masters at Cambridge University, quit her job last week and will leave in April, with no job to go onto.

An unnamed teacher said: “People are also devastated to hear that Mrs Parry is leaving. She is very good and is an outstanding teacher- probably one of the very best teachers in the academies and she is absolutely brilliant with the sixth form.

“She has resigned and just like Dr Fox she hasn't even got a job to go to, so they will both be unemployed.

“Other staff are looking to get out too. It’s sad the way things are now going backwards and the children are being affected.”

In the summer Mrs Parry, who started teaching the new Philosophy and Ethics A Level, said she was not put off by joining the school and hoped to make a positive impact, despite its troubled reputation.

In the summer she said: “ I love teaching, it is my vocation and I never want to do anything else. I am really excited about this opportunity to be part of the journey in turning around this school.”

She was praised by Dr Fox as an “inspirational” and “great teacher” who helped get the best out of all of her students.

Mrs Parry is a specialist in religious education and philosophy, and was able to make her subject the most popular at her former school.

In August dozens of students queued for up to four hours after getting their A Level results to talk about going into the sixth form to continue their education.

Bev Bell, the new intermin headteacher of the academies who took over in November, added: “All schools receive resignations from staff throughout the year. “I am very thankful that Mrs Parry has given the academies plenty of time to recruit for this pivotal role.

“It is both a professional and personal decision to leave a job, and many staff leave for a variety of reasons; for example relocation, retirement, promotion and career/ study breaks.

“The reasons and quantity are not unusual at The Basildon Academies. The academy is in an excellent position to fill any vacancy.”