A Brighton school has appointed a new head teacher as the current head prepares to join the education watchdog Ofsted.
Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) has announced that Bob Speight, currently vice-principal at Ark Bolingbroke Academy, in south west London, will join in early June.
Mr Speight, who lives in Sussex, will take over from Dylan Davies who leaves at the end of this term after four years at the Falmer secondary school.
Mr Davies will become one of Her Majesty’s inspectors of schools at Ofsted. He is currently one of the longest-serving secondary heads in Brighton and Hove.
BACA said: “Bob Speight qualified as a history teacher in 2005 and has taught at five schools in London, as well as gaining teaching experience in Spain and Uganda.
“He has been a deputy head teacher / vice-principal for eight years in two contrasting London schools, including six months as acting principal during maternity cover.
“In his current role Mr Speight has been part of a leadership team at a new academy whose first GCSE results last summer saw them become one of the highest performing schools in the London Borough of Wandsworth, with 82 per cent of students achieving GCSE grade 4 and above in English and maths.
“He led the process of setting up of the school’s thriving sixth form and the establishment of a programme of over 150 different after-school clubs.”
Jim May, chair of governors at BACA, said: “We are delighted to have appointed Bob Speight as the new principal at BACA from a strong field of candidates.
“His track record at schools in London means he is well equipped to build on the great progress that has happened under Dylan Davies’s leadership.
“Following Ofsted’s recognition of our good teaching, superb facilities and outstanding student care last year, Bob’s appointment puts us in a great position to build further on the academy’s growing reputation.”
Mr Speight said: “Working with the BACA team and our executive principal (Rob Reed) I believe we can make the academy a truly world-class centre of learning.
“Students are entitled to great lessons every day and access to a wide range of extra-curricular experiences.
“My role as principal of BACA will be to help every member of the academy community perform to their potential, ensuring that our students experience the very best day in, day out.
“BACA is a great academy with so many special features. It is an honour to be given the opportunity to lead it on the next stage of its journey.”
After Mr Davies leaves, departure BACA vice-principal Janet Tremble will be acting principal until Mr Speight joins.
He is due to take up his role at BACA full time from Monday 4 June although he plans to spend a number of days at the academy from this month.
