Headteacher of Gosport school in special measures steps down

Richard Kelly, who was the headteacher at Brune Park School in Gosport, left his role at the end of June.

It comes just weeks after an Ofsted report rated the school as inadequate and it was put into special measures.

Talks were also being held for it to become an academy.

Gosport Labour councillor June Wright used to be a governor at the school, on Military Road.

She said: ‘It is disappointing that this has happened just weeks after a bad Ofsted report.

‘All the time this goes on the youngsters are not progressing and are being let down. There has been a high turnover of staff there and it affects pupils and their results.

‘It is upsetting to see Richard go, but the sooner the school has a replacement the better it will be.

‘Bridgemary School got a new headteacher and improved massively so let’s hope for the same outcome.’

As previously reported in The News, Brune Park School was too slow in addressing the areas for improvement identified in a previous Ofsted report from 2014.

The report said teaching was inadequate and pupils were not making enough progress.

It also said the examination results in 2015 were ‘very poor.’

But at the time of the report being published, Mr Kelly said improvements were being made.

Executive member for education at Hampshire County Council Councillor Peter Edgar said: ‘Many of the pupils at Brune Park have done extremely well since Richard has been there.

‘He had to face a number of unforeseen challenges at the school and pilot the school through those problems.

‘I wish him well for the future.’

A spokeswoman for the school said: ‘Richard Kelly stood down from his post as headteacher at the end of June in order to pursue his professional career in a different context.

‘He would like to thank all the students, staff and parents for their support and he wishes Brune Park and everyone associated with the school every success for the future.

‘The governors would like to thank him for the work he has done on behalf of students and their families in making the improvements and building the foundations for the progress which will be made into the future.’