Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy principal resigns

Plans for the school to join multi-academy trust Aldridge Education had met with protests from parents

The principal of an academy school recently rated inadequate by Ofsted has resigned.

A text to parents of pupils at Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy (IPACA) on Tuesday said Joss Hayes had stepped down "with immediate effect".

The school was placed in special measures by Ofsted in January, following an inspection in November.

Dorset County Council, co-sponsor of the school, and the school's chair of governors confirmed the resignation.

Inspectors had raised concerns including the "significantly below average" achievement of pupils.

The recent Ofsted inspection at IPACA took place in November

They also said too many teachers had failed to set work that matched pupils' needs.

Ms Hayes, who had worked at the school since November 2015, had pledged the school would "improve outcomes as soon as possible". No reason for her resignation has been issued.

In October, the chairman and vice-chairman of IPACA board of governors also resigned, and the school was issued with a government warning over its finances.

'Situation a shambles'

The text from the school said parents would be updated on plans for the school's leadership on Friday.

The council said the academy was currently operating normally and that executive principal Ben Parnell and his team were "overseeing things".

The authority added it remained committed to supporting the academy and the regional schools commissioner "to secure the best possible education for the children of Portland".

Dom Duckworth, whose daughter is studying for her GCSEs at the school, described the situation as "a shambles".

He said his daughter had not been given all the text books she required and he had been forced to hire a private tutor for her for maths because "there just doesn't seem to be any support at the school".

The school had been due to join multi-academy trust Aldridge Education in January.

The plans were met with protests from parents and in November Aldridge Foundation, the school's other sponsor, said the move would no longer go ahead and it would not continue to sponsor the school.