THE HEADTEACHER OF Gateway Academy, Debbie Bull has stepped down from her role.
In what was described as an emotional staff meeting on Friday afternoon, Ms Bull announced to staff that she was moving on.
It marks the end of a twelve-year working partnership between Ms Bull and chief executive, Kevin Sadler.
Ms Bull was always marked out as a “firm but fair” teacher and head.
YT spoke to the chief executive officer at the Tilbury-based learning community, Kevin Sadler who confirmed that Ms Bull had left.
Mr Sadler said: “Debbie Bull has left for professional and personal reasons. Debbie will no doubt meet fresh challenges.
“We will re-shape our senior leadership team and my role will change to executive principal”.
The school recently had an internal Ofsted-style inspection and received feedback that it would lose its “Outstanding” status. However with Ockendon Academy being “downgraded” and Mr Sadler’s old school, Passmores Academy in Harlow also suffering a similar fate, many critics believe that the dice are “loaded” against schools of a similar make-up.
Mr Sadler told YT: “After an exam dip last year, we are confident that we will move up to get the best results ever. We are an ever-evolving community.
Achieving ‘Outstanding’ is one thing, but sustaining the highest Ofsted acolade is another! I hear the cracks are starting to appear at The Gateway…and I’m not just talking about the masonry, as the Academy begins to sink into the marshland!
I doubt whether Ms Bull will be the only one to jump ship! Watch this space!
Lets hope that Mr Sadler can bring back that special feeling that the school had previously – a fun place for learning where teachers and pupils had a mutual respect for one another!!!