Portslade school to advertise for new head

Portslade Aldridge Community Academy (PACA) is to advertise for a new head teacher this month.

In the meantime the interim principal, James Fox, has had his contract extended until the end if the summer term.

Mr Fox has upset parents and pupils by enforcing existing rules about school uniform.

He has also been accused of “weeding out” the sixth form’s weakest A-level students.

Mr Fox was working alongside his predecessor Stuart McLaughlin during the autumn term. He took over as interim principal when Mr McLaughlin left at Christmas.

The governors are keen to raise standards at the school, which is run by the Aldridge Foundation, a charity set up by Portslade old boy Sir Rod Aldridge. Sir Rod made a fortune as the founder of outsourcing business Capita.

PACA’s exam reports did not improve as much as hoped last summer and the schools watchdog Ofsted published a critical report shortly before Christmas.

Honor Wilson-Fletcher, who chairs PACA’s board of governors, said: “Everyone on the governing body wishes me to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the staff at PACA for their commitment and positive responses to the challenges facing the academy, most importantly in the wake of the Ofsted inspection just before Christmas.

“While the governors have of course been focusing on the recommendations of the Ofsted report as a priority, we are also aware that staff will be anxious to know what we intend for PACA in terms of leadership.

“This is to confirm that we will be advertising for a permanent principal very shortly, before the end of February, with the intention that the successful candidate would commence in this role from September.

“In the meantime, we are very pleased that James Fox has agreed to stay on as interim principal until the end of the summer term.

“We will do our best to let you know the outcomes of our recruitment search as soon as possible.”