Management Partnership

28 January 2019

Dear Parents and Carers

Since receiving Mr Nelmes’ resignation, governors have been working diligently to secure a replacement executive head teacher. I can now confirm the governing body’s decision and the next steps of the process.

Pebblebed Heath Federation was formed to ensure that as 2 Church schools we could employ an experienced head teacher, to enable our staff to work with other teachers and to ensure the best learning outcomes for our pupils. Mr Nelmes has worked strategically across both school sites supported by our Heads of Learning; with Mrs Milford and Mrs Padbury working closely together, as well as other key members of our leadership team.

In this time we have much to be proud of, including “Good” and “Outstanding” SIAMS inspections, retaining the judgement of “Good” schools from Ofsted and that we provide excellent teaching and learning, with an exciting curriculum in spite of the very limited resources in school funding at a time of crippling budget cuts. More and more schools like ours enter into partnership arrangements with executive head teachers working across several schools providing leadership and management.

Last week the governing body voted to form a Joint Management Partnership with the Jubilee Federation with Mrs Katie Gray acting as Executive Head Teacher across 5 church schools in the East Devon area.

A Joint Management Partnership is a formal arrangement between two organisations on a fixed term basis with an Executive Head Teacher acting across both organisations. In the eyes of the Local Authority each school federation maintains a separate identity and continues to have an individual Governing Body. The partnership is monitored to ensure it is effective and whether forming a federation is beneficial.

Mrs Gray will take up her role upon Mr Nelmes’ departure at the start of the summer term. She will be working closely with our heads of learning and middle leaders to create a new structure in both of our schools during the management partnership period.

Mr Nelmes has done an excellent job as executive head teacher; in addition to accommodating additional roles for example playing a key role in our SEND team. He has started to help governors to plan for his departure by mapping out the different roles he carries to make sure that these responsibilities are delegated appropriately. Mrs Gray will therefore not be doing exactly what Mr Nelmes has done in his role so initially there will be a period of adjustment. I hope that as she starts to visit our schools and prepares for assuming the role of executive head in a management partnership, that you will support her. I am most happy for you to contact me if you have any specific questions; Governors will continue to work with Mr Nelmes, his team and Mrs Gray to ensure that this organisational change will be a smooth as possible.

Kind regards
Clare Rooke

Chair of Governors Pebblebed Heath Federation