Simon Murphy has left the Chaucer School

by Jamie Bullen

A principal has left his job after six years in charge of one of Canterbury’s biggest schools as it prepares to become Kent’s latest academy.

The Chaucer School was left stunned this week following Simon Murphy’s resignation less than two weeks after the three-month consultation to become an academy ended.

Kent County Council said his departure was mutually agreed with the school’s governing body, but union bosses are demanding to know the full reasons behind the decision.

KCC spokesman Mike Sherburn said: “Simon Murphy, principal of Chaucer School, returned to the school in the new year to continue his diligent work to help realise the vision for the institution to become an academy.

“However, with the agreement of the governing body, he has now taken the decision to stand down in order to enable the next exciting phase in the school’s development to be led by a new principal.

“Simon would like to thank the staff, the students and the parents for their unstinting support over the last six years and wishes everyone associated with the school community every success for the future.

“The governors and local authority would like to express their appreciation for the contribution Simon has made to Chaucer School on behalf of everyone and wish him every success as he pursues his professional career in a new context.”

However, Kent’s NUT secretary John Walder said he wanted answers surrounding the shock changes after being informed at a meeting with Canterbury representatives on Tuesday night of Mr Murphy’s departure.

Mr Walder met KCC’s corporate director Patrick Leeson yesterday to establish fully why the decision was taken.

"i shall be extremely annoyed if i still don’t know what is going on." – nut secretary john walder

He said: “I had a meeting pencilled with Simon Murphy on Friday afternoon with members of the school but his PA phoned me and said he was not in school in the moment due to the weather and that a meeting would be fixed up on another day.

“At a meeting on Tuesday night with the Canterbury NUT I was informed that Simon Murphy was no longer head of the school. I know no more than that.

“I am due at a meeting in Maidstone with Patrick Leeson in which this item is on my agenda and I shall be extremely annoyed if I still don’t know what is going on.”

GCSE results published yesterday show show 37% of pupils at the school achieved five or more grades A* to C. The government’s benchmark for schools is 40%.

Mr Murphy was highly critical of the decision to downgrade English GCSE results, even threatening to take legal action on the day the results were released.

The school has already moved to appoint Elizabeth King as acting principal. She said the absolute priority was for the school to become a “highly successful” academy.

A January newsletter, available on the school’s website, reads: “You will have read in the accompanying letter from the chair of governors that significant changes are in process at Chaucer.

“The school now has a clear direction and it will be my absolute priority to make it ready to become a highly successful academy for the students who are here now and for those who join us in the future.”

No timetable has been set for the school to become an academy, with one KCC official remarking the conversion is at an early stage in the process.

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