Teachers to work for free amid changes at private school
Teachers at an independent school have agreed to work without pay after the charity that ran it ceased trading.
A parent of two pupils at St Dominic’s in Brewood has now launched a bid to rescue the school and take over its running.
The school has previously been run by the St Dominic’s Brewood Trust but that is now in the process of being liquidated.
The school’s 29 permanent teaching staff will work without pay for the two weeks until the end of term.
Parents have been told their children’s education will not be affected by the behind-the-scenes changes.
Wednesfield-based St Philip’s Care group is in talks to take over the trading aspect of the school.
The firm is co-owned by Gary Hartland whose daughters Harriet, aged 13, and Lucy, nine, are pupils at the school.
Its buildings are already owned by the group, which stepped in two years ago and has already funded refurbishment of the school’s tennis courts and dining hall, two brand new ICT suites with wi-fi throughout the buildings.
Head of school, Peter McNabb, praised staff for their loyalty.
He has sent a letter to parents stating the charitable trust is moving towards voluntary liquidation but that the future of the school is assured.
He said: “It is testament to the faith staff have in the future of our great school that they have been willing to carry on working without pay during a period of transition.
"We are confident that the school will continue to go from strength to strength with a new financial structure next term.
“Since my headship began in September 2015, my staff and I have worked tirelessly to make improvements to teaching and learning and have been successful in building on achievements with excellent examination results clearly reflecting the quality of provision at St. Dominic’s.
"Parental feedback now shows a huge increase in satisfaction and pupils are now better supported in their studies than ever before.”
Mr Hartland, 57, confirmed that his company had been in talks about taking over the trading aspect of the school but said he could not comment further until legal procedures were complete. He said his daughters were thriving at the school and that the standard of education is ‘fantastic’.
St Dominic’s was recently rated by the Department of Education as the top school in Staffordshire for its GCSE and EBacc performance.
It provides independent education for 190 pupils, taking boys and girls into its nursery from the age of two and preparatory school up to 11. Its senior school is for girls only up to the age of 18.
