External review of Governance at John Kyrle High School commissioned

The Members and Trustees of John Kyrle High School have written to parents and carers to inform them that they have commissioned an External Review of Governance which will look at all aspect of how the school is governed.

In the letter they said: “We have been heartened with the way students, staff and the wider community have responded to the issues we have faced when dealing with Covid-19. In particular, your efforts have helped us ensure that our students have continued to thrive. We are very grateful for all you have done.

“That said, we must acknowledge that as a school leadership team we have not got everything right all of the time. One of the most important parts of a strong governance structure is to reflect on what hasn’t gone well, and then use this as an opportunity to look at the lessons that can be applied for the future. Indeed, because of the outcome of two legal processes, this aspect of governance is at the forefront of our thinking.”

On the External Review they said: “This is a process that forensically looks at all aspects of how a school is governed – from the culture around how decisions are made, to the policies and procedures that set the framework for how governance in conducted. The review will be led by an accredited National Leader of Governance from outside of our local community.

“While this is not an unusual step for a school to take, it is an important one. Under the leadership of the Members, who are a group of individuals who sit above Trustees to ensure governance and leadership is robust, we are proactively looking at the outcomes of both legal cases to review the decisions that have been made.”

The review follows two legal cases for the school. The first an employment tribunal which found teacher, Joanne Lucas, had been unfairly dismissed which was mainly motivated by “animus” towards her trade union role. The second case was where JKHS unsuccessfully challenged the decision to allow Dene Magna in Mitcheldean to open a sixth form centre, which cost more than £180,000 in legal fees.