Rickmansworth School makes interim head appointments

Rickmansworth School has replaced its two outgoing headteachers with interim figures. On May 22 Rickmansworth School chair of governors Harvey Collyer confirmed that Dr Stephen Burton had stood down as headteacher, after more than 13 years at the helm. Dr Burton had not been at the school since October 15 and in his place Kevin Flanagan stepped in as acting headteacher- but will leave the school in September to return to his family home in the north-west, where he will work as an HM Inspector of Schools with Ofsted. While the school is looking to have a new permanent headteacher in place by January, it has now appointed two members of staff for the interim period- Dame Helen Hyde will become the Executive Head of the School and Mark Allchorn will become the Acting Head. Dame Helen, the head teacher of Watford Girls Grammar School, joins Rickmansworth School on a part time basis providing leadership and strategic advice. She was made a dame in the 2013 New Year’s Honours List for services to education. Mr Allchorn is currently the deputy headteacher at Watford Boys Grammar School and will be responsible for all of the duties associated with a head teacher. In a statement issued on June 26, Mr Collyer and vice chair of governors Brian Dorling commended both Watford schools. “We would like to thank them for their positive collaboration and their help and support,” he wrote. “This is an excellent example of how local schools can work collaboratively to provide a continuous high quality teaching and learning environment for our children and we look forward to working together.” He added: “We all believe that this approach will ensure that the school has experienced leadership that will help us to build on the current success and quality of the school and ensure the continuation and on-going development of the many positive initiatives recently introduced at Rickmansworth.” Though hoping to have a new headteacher for the school by January, Mr Collyer confirmed an appointment may not be made until Easter “if their terms and conditions require this.”