HEART chief executive resigns: The official statements

The trust said: “Following the news of Claire Smith’s decision to leave HEART Academies Trust, we have received a number of questions from our parents and staff about the immediate future.

“We are pleased to see the level of interest among parents in this process is high, which we believe reflects the positive steps being made in the mediation process. However, there are restrictions on what we can say due to issues of employee confidentiality and the fact that we are in the very earliest stages of recruiting a new chief executive.

“What’s increasingly clear is that parents, staff and the Trust are all trying to achieve the same aims: to ensure that pupils’ education is not disrupted and that the Trust is well resourced in order to maintain progress and stability.

“With regard to the outlining the next steps for the Trust in terms of the organisation and running of its schools, this will be the responsibility our new chief executive and trustees, the chair of whom we are also recruiting. It would be inappropriate for the Trust to attempt to second guess their decisions at this stage.

“We can assure parents that when pupils return to their schools in January 2019, classes will be staffed and teaching will continue to achieve the best possible results. We will also ensure that parents and staff are kept informed of progress and the chief executive recruitment process.”

The Harpur Trust has been accused by parents of “simply allowing (the process) to continue without any evidence of direct intervention.”

A spokesman today said: “The Harpur Trust fully supports the intentions of the trustees of the HEART Academies Trust to strengthen and balance the board, through the recruitment of new Trustees and a new and independent chair.

“As sponsor, The Harpur Trust also shares the ambition to rebuild relationships so that the HEART schools can provide the very best possible education and life chances for pupils in the community.”

Background:

What comes next?

Parents’ warning over 2019 at the trust’s primary schools

HEART and the Harpur Trust’s official statements over Claire Smith’s resignation

Claire Smith’s resignation

Hanif Patel’s resignation

Heart Academies Trust parents head to Parliament

Plans to make headteachers redundant put on hold

School bosses accused of “betrayal”

Parents’ response Reasons for the proposed changes

Details of the proposed changes

What comes next?