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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/sep/18/educating-greater-manchester-head-quits-over-council-vendetta
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| Educating Greater Manchester head quits over 'council vendetta' | Educating Greater Manchester head quits over 'council vendetta' |
| (4 months later) | |
| The headteacher star of Channel 4’s Educating Greater Manchester has quit, accusing the local council of having a vendetta against him. | The headteacher star of Channel 4’s Educating Greater Manchester has quit, accusing the local council of having a vendetta against him. |
| Drew Povey was suspended from Harrop Fold school just before the summer holidays, along with three other members of staff, after Salford council began an investigation into the school. | Drew Povey was suspended from Harrop Fold school just before the summer holidays, along with three other members of staff, after Salford council began an investigation into the school. |
| The council has never confirmed the reasons for the suspensions but Povey said it related to “administrative errors” on how how attendance, exclusions and home schooling were recorded. In an open letter he posted on Twitter on Tuesday, he said the error involved 11 students over the last three years. | The council has never confirmed the reasons for the suspensions but Povey said it related to “administrative errors” on how how attendance, exclusions and home schooling were recorded. In an open letter he posted on Twitter on Tuesday, he said the error involved 11 students over the last three years. |
| He said the school took immediate steps to ensure the errors could not be repeated but that Salford city council was “determined to pursue me personally, with the end goal of removing me as executive head”. He said he took full responsibility for the errors but that he felt subject to a “personal vendetta”. | He said the school took immediate steps to ensure the errors could not be repeated but that Salford city council was “determined to pursue me personally, with the end goal of removing me as executive head”. He said he took full responsibility for the errors but that he felt subject to a “personal vendetta”. |
| This was swiftly denied by the council, which said it was conducting an “in-depth and wide-ranging investigation into many serious allegations.” | This was swiftly denied by the council, which said it was conducting an “in-depth and wide-ranging investigation into many serious allegations.” |
| Povey said the council presumed he was guilty from the outset, accusing them of putting pressure on the school’s governing body to “accede to their demands”, otherwise the governors would be replaced by an “interim executive board”. | Povey said the council presumed he was guilty from the outset, accusing them of putting pressure on the school’s governing body to “accede to their demands”, otherwise the governors would be replaced by an “interim executive board”. |
| Povey said he would not go quietly and would not accept a financial settlement to keep silent. “Any such settlement would inevitably require me to agree to various confidentiality undertakings – otherwise known as ‘gagging clauses’.” | Povey said he would not go quietly and would not accept a financial settlement to keep silent. “Any such settlement would inevitably require me to agree to various confidentiality undertakings – otherwise known as ‘gagging clauses’.” |
| He said that any mooted pay-off, plus the “vast expense” of the investigation, would be better spent continuing to pay off the school’s debt. | He said that any mooted pay-off, plus the “vast expense” of the investigation, would be better spent continuing to pay off the school’s debt. |
| At the start of the new school year, Salford council announced that the executive head and deputy of a top-performing Manchester school, Parrs Wood High in Didsbury, would be taking over as interim leaders of Harrop Fold while the investigation continued. | At the start of the new school year, Salford council announced that the executive head and deputy of a top-performing Manchester school, Parrs Wood High in Didsbury, would be taking over as interim leaders of Harrop Fold while the investigation continued. |
| When Povey took over as head in 2009, Harrop Fold was £3m in the red. In his resignation letter, he said he had reduced the debt by £1.6m by general fundraising, his own corporate coaching and speaking business and his autobiography, Educating Drew. | When Povey took over as head in 2009, Harrop Fold was £3m in the red. In his resignation letter, he said he had reduced the debt by £1.6m by general fundraising, his own corporate coaching and speaking business and his autobiography, Educating Drew. |
| On Educating Manchester, he demonstrated a fondness for management jargon, renaming the staff room the “leadership centre” and sayings including “Together everyone achieves more – that’s TEAM”. | On Educating Manchester, he demonstrated a fondness for management jargon, renaming the staff room the “leadership centre” and sayings including “Together everyone achieves more – that’s TEAM”. |
| Despite Povey’s camera-friendly charisma, exam results at Harrop Fold are very poor. In 2016/17, just 18% of pupils achieved at least a grade 5 or above in the reformed English and maths GCSEs, equivalent to a high grade C or low B. The England average is 39.6%. | Despite Povey’s camera-friendly charisma, exam results at Harrop Fold are very poor. In 2016/17, just 18% of pupils achieved at least a grade 5 or above in the reformed English and maths GCSEs, equivalent to a high grade C or low B. The England average is 39.6%. |
| The school has not published its latest GCSE scores and the department for education said they would not be available until October. | The school has not published its latest GCSE scores and the department for education said they would not be available until October. |
| Despite his resignation, Povey said he still wanted to be involved in the school and would offer to work there “pro bono” for a day or two each week over the coming year “with a view to providing a stable hand during this time of transition”. | Despite his resignation, Povey said he still wanted to be involved in the school and would offer to work there “pro bono” for a day or two each week over the coming year “with a view to providing a stable hand during this time of transition”. |
| Povey became a reality TV star after Channel 4 filmed the fifth series of the Educating… programme at his school. | Povey became a reality TV star after Channel 4 filmed the fifth series of the Educating… programme at his school. |
| In January, the broadcaster announced it would film two more series at the school – the first time it had returned to the same location. | In January, the broadcaster announced it would film two more series at the school – the first time it had returned to the same location. |
| Following Povey’s suspension in July, Channel 4 told the TES that filming “commenced earlier this year and both series are near completion”. | Following Povey’s suspension in July, Channel 4 told the TES that filming “commenced earlier this year and both series are near completion”. |
| However, when asked whether the programmes would be transmitted, a spokesperson said a transmission date had not yet been decided and that the broadcaster would await the outcome of the investigation before making a decision on whether to show the second series. | However, when asked whether the programmes would be transmitted, a spokesperson said a transmission date had not yet been decided and that the broadcaster would await the outcome of the investigation before making a decision on whether to show the second series. |
| Salford’s Councillor Lisa Stone, lead member for children’s and young people’s services, said: “I am disappointed that Mr Povey has made public some details of a confidential governors’ investigation. The council completely refutes the allegation that this is a personal vendetta or that Mr Povey was ever offered money to ‘walk away.’ In my experience governors do not launch investigations and suspend senior members of staff for mere administrative errors. | Salford’s Councillor Lisa Stone, lead member for children’s and young people’s services, said: “I am disappointed that Mr Povey has made public some details of a confidential governors’ investigation. The council completely refutes the allegation that this is a personal vendetta or that Mr Povey was ever offered money to ‘walk away.’ In my experience governors do not launch investigations and suspend senior members of staff for mere administrative errors. |
| “This is an in-depth and wide-ranging investigation into many serious allegations and it will continue in the interests of the school, pupils, parents and the members of staff who remain suspended. The governing body is trying to reach a conclusion as quickly as possible. It is in no one’s interests to rush through something so serious. | “This is an in-depth and wide-ranging investigation into many serious allegations and it will continue in the interests of the school, pupils, parents and the members of staff who remain suspended. The governing body is trying to reach a conclusion as quickly as possible. It is in no one’s interests to rush through something so serious. |
| “The council has arranged temporary leadership support for the school during this difficult period.” | “The council has arranged temporary leadership support for the school during this difficult period.” |
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