Executive head plan for schools

Proposals are being worked up for Trevor Burton, current head of Millthorpe School, to take on the new role for both Millthorpe and York High Schools.

Under the plans, each school would have its own head of school, who will work with Mr Burton.

The decision relates to a proposal by the South Bank Academy Trust, which includes Millthorpe, to sponsor a bid by York High to join the trust, made after York High was put in special measures by Ofsted.

Bill Schofield, chair of governors at Millthorpe, said in a letter to parents that the Department for Education had approved the trust’s application to become a sponsor but the trust would continue to explore the risks involved before coming to a final decision.

If it decided to go ahead, Millthorpe School would provide the school improvement service for York High School and new leadership arrangements would be needed in both schools.

“Our headteacher, Trevor Burton, would become executive headteacher responsible for the improvement of both Millthorpe and York High,” he said.

“His role will be to make the best plans and carry them out to ensure that both schools improve. He would need to spend about half his time at each school.”

He said the daily leadership and management would be by the new heads of school.

He said Mr Burton would ensure the new heads were supported in the first few years of their headships so they developed into outstanding heads. “The Trust does not view these arrangements as permanent and in due course expects both schools to have the more traditional structure of a single headteacher.”

The new role of head of school at Millthorpe is now being advertised, as a full time post from September on a salary of £70,000- £75,000, and with applications needed by May 8.

Academy trust chair Edwin Thomas said yesterday that the final decision on sponsorship would be taken in May but the new posts needed to be advertised now on a provisional basis.