High school head’s shock resignation

PARENTS, teachers and pupils at a Warrington high school are reeling following the shock resignation of the headteacher – less than a year after he took up the post.
A letter has been sent to parents by the governing body at Culcheth High School informing them of the resignation, by mutual agreement, and for personal reasons, of headteacher David Terry.
Mr Terry (pictured right) arrived at the school in May last year, on the second day of an Ofsted inspection which subsequently judged the school to be “good.”
At the time, he said: “It was a completely unique situation and I have never heard of this happening before.
“But whether you have been at the school for five minutes or five years, this is a school which everybody can be proud of.”
Prior to moving to Culcheth, Mr Terry was head at Sutton Academy, St Helens, which was judged to “require improvement” while he was there and also again earlier this year.
Before that he was at Oasis Academy MediaCityUK at Salford until he resigned at Easter 2010 – six months after being named as the best headteacher in the North West.
Deputy head Chris Hunt is taking on the role of acting head teacher at Culcheth.
Today, borough councillors Chris Vobe and Matt Smith, who represent the Culcheth area issued a joint statement as follows: “We are aware of the resignation of David Terry from the headship of Culcheth High School.
“We give our full support to Chris Hunt, who will assume the role of acting head teacher.
“As local councillors, we will continue to work closely with parents, the governing body, and the education department at Warrington Council to ensure that our local high school remains one of the best in the town.”
Mr Terry arrived at Culcheth shortly after the controversial decision to close the school’s sixth form.