Thrive Partnership's academy trust to be dissolved

The Thrive Partnership academy trust, which runs Colne School in Brightlingsea, is to dissolve

An academy trust which suspended its two most senior staff has announced plans to dissolve itself and offload its schools.

The Thrive Partnership runs Philip Morant School in Colchester and Colne Community School in Brightlingsea.

Earlier this year the partnership's chief executive and executive head teacher were suspended.

The trust said it hoped the schools would become part of "new, stronger" trusts by the start of the autumn term.

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The reason for the suspensions of chief executive Nardeep Sharma OBE and executive head teacher Catherine Hutley have not been revealed.

Catherine Hutley and Nardeep Sharma were suspended from Thrive Partnership Academy Trust

Neil Jones, chairman of trustees at Thrive, said the decision to offload the schools followed a review.

He said it had given partnership "a much better appreciation of the challenges that both schools face".

"We have also been listening to the comments and concerns of our parents.

"Taking everything into account, the board agreed that the best way forward is through inviting new, stronger trusts to take over the running of the schools."

The academy trust also ran Philip Morant School in Colchester

Colchester MP Will Quince said: "Questions will rightly be asked about what went wrong with the Thrive Partnership Trust and this must be looked into.

"However, my priority has been and remains the education of the pupils at Philip Morant and that the school works with parents to rebuild trust and the school's reputation locally.

"I welcome this news which represents an important step on this journey."

The re-brokering process will be managed by the Regional Schools Commissioner's Office.