Super head brought in to turn around some of worst schools in Britain is forced out of latest job after clashing with teaching unions
- Rory Fox joined Ryde Academy in 2013 tasked with improving standards
- The 'super head' launched a crackdown on bad behaviour and uniforms
- On one day he sent 40 girls home because their skirts were too short
- But he also clashed with staff- claiming 22 teachers were under performing
- Dr Fox was due to hold three disciplinaries but left his post without notice
Rory Fox (pictured at the school) was made a 'super head' at Ryde Academy, on the Isle of Wight, in 2013 with the task of improving standards and attainment
A headmaster who clashed with teaching unions after being brought in to tackle a failing school has been removed from his job.
Rory Fox was made a 'super head' at Ryde Academy, on the Isle of Wight, in 2013 with the task of improving standards and attainment.
He launched a crackdown on pupils' bad behaviour and is understood to have confronted some teachers about their alleged poor conduct.
It is claimed he was due to hold disciplinary meetings with three staff members on Wednesday last week, but instead left his post without notice. Teachers arrived the next day to find him absent.
Shortly afterwards, his job was advertised with a six-figure salary.
Dr Fox had been appointed to the role after improving results at a school in Essex, and had been head of learning at a prison.
Ryde Academy had been rated 'inadequate' and put in special measures, but under Dr Fox's tenure this rose to 'requires improvement'.
In a report in November, Ofsted inspectors described him as a 'determined principal' who had been 'tenacious in tackling teachers' underperformance'.
But Ofsted criticised the school's sponsor, Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), saying it had not always been supportive enough of the school's leaders.
During Dr Fox's time at Ryde, he adopted a number of strict measures including sending hundreds of children home for breaches of uniform rules.
In a letter to union leaders, revealed in November last year, the head said 22 poorly performing teachers remained at the school.
He said some senior members of staff skipped classes or arrived late and displayed aggressive behaviour – which included bullying junior colleagues.
Dr Fox also complained that some teachers were spilling coffee on homework and refusing to mark it.
He said he found 'unions disquieting staff with claims about what they can and can't do with lesson observations … [and] tying us up in time-consuming correspondence'.
He alleged there were rigged union votes, obstruction and delaying tactics.
Union leaders complained of 'excessive burdens' on staff, he said, adding: 'We have teachers complaining about being asked to set homework. It is clear to me that there are some very odd views about what is 'excessive'.'
During his stint, he famously launched a crackdown on pupils' bad behaviour and uniforms- sending 40 girls home in one day because their skirts were too short- which was reported in the Daily Mail last December
A source said Dr Fox had taken a confrontational attitude with unions and had refused to offer redundancy to teachers he believed were performing poorly, deeming it a waste of taxpayers' money.
The head was due to stay in his post until the end of this academic year but has now been removed by AET 'to work on other projects'.
AET, sponsored by Greensward Charitable Trust, is the country's largest academy chain. It was told not to take on any more schools after Ofsted found shortfalls at some of those it runs.
Jerry Glazier, a leading member of the National Union of Teachers, sits on AET's executive board.
Amanda Martin, an executive member of the NUT, said: 'We welcome the support of AET in working with us to encourage and promote the employment of qualified, experienced and dedicated teachers rather than allowing staff to be driven out by bullying tactics.'
Mr Glazier said that when he was appointed to AET it was 'on the basis that I did not represent the NUT'.
A spokesman for AET said: 'We deny that the reason for [Dr Fox's] transfer was for poor relations with teacher unions.'
A source at the school said Dr Fox (pictured with some of his pupils in regulation uniform) had taken a confrontational attitude with unions and had refused to offer redundancy to teachers he believed were performing poorly, deeming it a waste of taxpayers' money
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