All Ashlyns School governors resign

The entire board of governors has resigned at a Berkhamsted secondary school.
Ashlyns School in BerkhamstedAshlyns School in Berkhamsted
Ashlyns School in Berkhamsted

Ashlyns School informed parents of the move in a letter last week, after it was decided at a recent governors’ meeting.

Headteacher James Shapland described the move as a joint decision by governors and stressed that it was not made in protest at the school’s educational provision.

But many parents were not impressed. One, who asked not to be named, said: “I have a child at Ashlyns and it’s a very worrying move.

“For them all to step down at once, either there is something wrong at the school or something wrong with the governors.

“Being a school governor is a big role, ultimately they are who the headteacher answers to. Losing them all at once is a big deal – parents want to know what is going on.”

As with most schools, the Ashlyns board of governors was made up of a mixture of parents, staff, and members of the local community.

An acting board has been put in place with the assistance of Herts County Council, and a full board of 12 governors including the headteacher will be in place after the February half-term.

Mr Shapland told the Gazette: “The previous governors stepped down to allow the school to move forward and continue the progress it has made.

“This was not about the school, it was about the governing body.

“Our local community can be reassured that the decision was not the result of concerns regarding the school’s education provision and does not affect the day-to-day running of the school or the experiences our students receive.

“Last summer we celebrated the school’s best-ever GCSE results and received a ‘Good’ from Ofsted at our last inspection in September 2014.”

Related topics: