Coronavirus causes delay to appointing new head at one of Doncaster's largest secondary schools

The recruitment of a new headteacher at one of Doncaster’s largest secondary schools has been put on hold because of the coronavirus crisis.
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Bosses at Ridgewood School are looking to replace Maggie Dunn who announced earlier this year that was stepping down after six years.

But the schools’ governors have told parents and pupils that a new head is now unlikely to be in post before next year because of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Co-chairs of the board of governors, Mandy Oxer and David Grace said: “The governing body was unable to complete the recruitment of a headteacher in accordance with the timetable originally set out for this process.

Ridgewood School.Ridgewood School.
Ridgewood School.

“Regretably, the COVID-19 pandemic then led to a further delay in the recruitment.

“However, despite the significant challenges still facing us, which have impacted adversely on our proposed timeframe for re-advertising, we are now in a position to run a fresh recruitment process in June with the intention that an appointment will be confirmed by the end of term.”

They added that the new recruit may not be able to take charge until January but an interim leadership team would be put in place.

Mrs Dunn announced in January that she was stepping down.

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In a letter to parents, she said: “It has been a privilege and a pleasure to be Ridgewood’s headteacher over the past six years, and I have had a wonderful experience during my time at the school.

“I have enjoyed meeting and working with you as parents and carers and would like to thank you for all your contributions and support.

“I hope that you feel, as I do, that the school has developed significantly over this time and is now in a very strong position, with your contribution, to continue to move forward.”

Before arriving at Ridgewood, she was in charge of Colne Valley High School in Huddersfield where she was brought in as acting headteacher to oversee the school’s transformation to an academy after it was put into special measures by Ofsted.

Ridgewood first opened its doors in 1968 and has around 1,400 pupils.

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