Interim head for crisis-hit Bicester school (From Bicester Advertiser)

Interim head for crisis-hit Bicester Community College

11:57am Saturday 16th March 2013 in News By Ellie Simmonds

AN interim headteacher has been appointed at struggling Bicester Community College.

Cooper School's headteacher Ben Baxter will now take over the role.

It comes after Oxfordshire County Council sacked the school’s governing board last month. Weeks earlier the school was put into special measures after a damning Ofsted report.

Inspectors gave the school bottom marks on pupil achievement, quality of teaching, behaviour and management.

A new five-strong interim executive board, led by chairman Bob Wintringham, was put in place to oversee the Queen's Avenue school and set up a new governing body.

A statement from MrWintringham tonight said: "We have rapidly discovered that BCC has considerable support available through its neighbour, Cooper School, and we are delighted to inform you that the Federation Governing Board have agreed unanimously to support our efforts by allowing Ben Baxter, their executive head, to act as interim headteacher at BCC.

"Ben will add his significant expertise and experience to the task we have, and will prove invaluable in creating a new can do spirit and culture of empowerment at BCC to inspire staff, and students alike, to produce their best."

Mr Baxter will remain as headteacher of Cooper School but it is not clear what has happened to BCC principal Jason Clarke.