University College London Academy’s first head Sylvia Jones quits role

Published: 22 July, 2010
by TOM FOOT

THE headteacher appointed to run Camden’s flagship new academy school has walked away from the job, the New Journal can reveal.

Sylvia Jones has turned her back on the University College London Academy planned for Swiss Cottage, just four months after she was chosen to become its first “principal”.

She has not commented on her reasons for changing her mind about a post she had enthusiastically described as a “once in a lifetime opportunity”.

But it comes after critical developments in the long-running saga over the opening of the school and Education Secretary Michael Gove’s decision to put the entire project under review.

There is no longer any guarantee from the government of funding to open the school, a major shock for UCL – the university sponsors – and Camden Council, which made the academy the cornerstone of its school investment programme.

Ms Jones has instead chosen to stay at the “outstanding” Valentines High School in Ilford, Essex.

A UCL spokesman said they were not looking for a replacement at this stage. 

Ms Jones was supposed to start work at UCL in September and had agreed an undisclosed six-figure salary.

But the academy – which finally got the green light at local level last year after five years of objections and two judicial reviews – now hinges on Mr Gove’s say-so. His decision is expected in the next few weeks.

While a spokeswoman for Redbridge Council said Ms Jones’s decision to stay at Valentines was “no secret” in north-east London, the New Journal broke the news to UCL’s media team, who released the following statement yesterday (Wednesday): “We can confirm that Sylvia Jones will no longer be joining the UCL Academy. We will await the pending announcement from the government on the future of the school before announcing any plans to fill the post.”

With building contractors BAM PPP also sweating on whether a deal goes ahead, pressure is mounting on the government to reach a speedy resolution.

Conservative group leader Councillor Andrew Mennear, who worked for four years to bring the UCL Academy to Camden, said: “If you’re starting to lose the headteacher, these things are really serious.”

Around 180 pupils were expected to join the secondary school in Adelaide Road next year. Ms Jones was due to work on the curriculum and hiring of staff while the school was built over the next 12 months.

The prestigious university in Gower Street released architects’ plans of the impressive £30million building last month.

Bosses had head-hunted Ms Jones – who was awarded the coveted title of National Leader of Education in 2008 – and in March unveiled her as “highly experienced” with a “track record of achieving outstanding results”.

Ms Jones’s face fronts the UCL Academy’s flashy website and in her “principal’s welcome” she says she became a teacher to encourage “children of all abilities and backgrounds to do well”, adding: “I am very excited to have been given this unique opportunity to offer an outstanding education delivered by talented and dedicated teachers in a ‘state of the art’ new building.”

Ms Jones is an elected member of the London steering group of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) – helping headteachers transform state schools into independently run academies.

She clashed with teaching unions in Redbridge last month after expressing an interest transforming Valentines High into an academy.

Lucy Anderson, chairwoman of Camden Campaign for State Education, said: “I am delighted that Ms Jones has changed her mind and I hope the government will now scrap the academy and reallocate the money saved amongst our Camden schools that desperately need it.”

The future of the Swiss Cottage Special School, due to be rebuilt on a shared site behind Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre, is also hanging in the balance.