New head has never taught senior pupils
A PRIMARY school head teacher with no experience of teaching teenagers has been named as the new head of the first secondary free school in Essex.
Andy Scott-Evans will be in charge of Becket Keys Church of England School when it opens this September.
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CHOSEN: Andy Scott-Evans will be in charge of Becket Keys School
The current head of St Thomas Junior School has been there for more than 15 years.
The school, in Sawyers Hall Lane, was his first post as a teacher. He took over as head there in 2008.
Concern was this week raised about his appointment by John Fairhurst, former Shenfield School head teacher and retired president of the Association of School and College Leaders.
He said: "Running a secondary school and a primary school are very different things.
"Becket Keys does not exist as a school at the moment. All it is is a PR machine. As my mother would say, there is 'many a slip between cup and lip'."
However, some of the faith school's heaviest critics have rallied to support Mr Scott-Evans.
Anglo European School head teacher David Barrs said: "It's an interesting situation for the school to be in but there are a number of secondary head teachers in the area.
"If he needs support from us he only needs to ask."
Mike O'Sullivan, head of St Martin's School, said he was "delighted" with the appointment.
Both head teachers, together with the borough's four other secondary school heads, backed a proposal for a studio school on the Sawyers Hall College site.
In April last year Mr Barrs told the Gazette: "Becket Keys is not sustainable and does not meet the core needs of Brentwood's kids."
Mr Scott-Evans, together with Iain Gunn, head of St Peter's Primary School in South Weald, first proposed the Christian Free School in March last year.
His primary school is just yards from where Becket Keys will be created on the site of Sawyers Hall College, which is to close formally at the end of the summer term.
The formal appointment was made last week following an interview with the Russell Education Trust, the diocese of Chelmsford and Department for Education.
Mr Scott-Evans was chosen after the selection panel rejected the six shortlisted candidates they initially had in mind.
This week, he said: "I believe that, by moving on to Becket Keys, I am continuing to serve those families – and many more – by ensuring that there is an outstanding Anglican secondary school for Brentwood in the years ahead."
8 Comments
by lsmith_265
Thursday, February 09 2012, 8:25PM
“I was really angry to see the headline on the front of the Gazette this week. Mr Scott-Evans has a brilliant teaching record and has made a huge difference to St Thomas' during his time there. He has taught at Masters level so why not Senior level? He has responded to what parents were telling him they wanted for their children in Brentwood and I think he is the perfect person for the Headship due to the fact this was his vision in the first place. If parents don't agree with Becket Keys and what is stands for then they have other choices of where to send their children. Give the guy a break!”
by RosaDartle
Thursday, February 09 2012, 11:50AM
“Today's Top Tip: Fancy a secondary school headship and its generous pay and benefits package without that bothersome worry of secondary school teaching experience? Eager to ignore those pesky local requests for a fully open and honest public consultation? More than capable of riding roughshod over established promises of vocational opportunities for Brentwood's teenagers?
Why not simply set up a Free School of your own, using taxpayers' cash!
In tomorrow's edition - how to gain massive Government funding for a moon mission. You'll need an empty Fairy Liquid bottle, a Lego astronaut, and the suspiciously convenient assistance of a 'charitable trust.'”
by abetterworld
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 9:09PM
“Faith F you just said it, your children have grown up. My children are in this experimental system. All the current secondary schools in Brentwood achieve results well above the national average and there are currently surplus places in Brentwood schools. There was a full consultation process about education in Brentwood in 2008 the outcome of which was that the school on the Sawyers site was not needed for the children in the Brentwood area. This experiment will result in less resources for all the schools because a school's budget is dictated by the number of pupils and there are only so many pupils to go around.”
by FaithF
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 7:07PM
“I do not understand why people are red arrowing the positive comments. Is this not supposed to be a tolerant society, if so why the animosity towards those who want to send their children to Beckett Keys school?
Let those who want to send their children there, do so and those who want a secular school can also do so.
My children are grown up now so I am not one of those who is trying to promote the school. I just feel that we should be more accepting of the different views.”
by DebsRaring2go
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 1:40PM
“Who has more drive and determination to make this school a success than the man whose initial dream this was in the first place? Mr Scott-Evans is an outstanding Junior Head and I am sure he will make an outstanding Senior Head. I for one hope that my children have the good fortune to be offered a place at our local school, which is a 2 minute walk from our house rather than one which is a 25-45 minute walk away. As a regular Church-goer, the fact that is a faith school headed by a committed Christian is extremely welcome news.”
by SJS2010
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 12:19PM
“Gosh that is a little harsh. There has always been a school on the Sawyers Site and Brentwood North needs a good school – that we can now have a faith school is fabulous. I have children at St Thomas' that will now have a secondary that they can walk to and that it is a faith school. For everyone else – you all have choices – BUCHS if you want, St Martins if you get in or Shenfield – the latter two are not within walking distance of Brentwood North. This whole debate seems to be fuelled by the fact that this is a 50% faith school – if you have no faith – you have other choices – if you do – this is a welcome addition to Brentwood schools. As for Mr SE – he has been great at St Thomas' whilst my children have been there and I can't see any reason why this wouldn't continue at Becket Keys.”
by RosaDartle
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 11:42AM
“Today's Life Lesson: If you use local media like some obedient lapdog to conduct a shamefully manipulative and disingenuous PR campaign for your unnecessary Free School, don't be too surprised when aforementioned local media lapdog eventually gets bored, jumps up, and bites you on the backside.”
by JD2012
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 10:48AM
“I am very disappointed at your headline story in today's Gazette. It is a great shame that your article on the front page is not more balanced and positive. Mr Scott-Evans already runs an outstanding school and is an outstanding leader. He has had the vision to commence this process and see it through – Brentwood parents have asked for a faith school with a Christian leader and now we have one. The article on page 10 and 11 is a much more balanced story with less tabloid journalism and more facts. Unlike the other candidates, Mr Scott-Evans was not only interviewed by the RET and the Diocese but also the Department of Education – if he has the backing of all parties then how can anyone suggest that he will not be a great success? Becket Keys will have the on-going support of the Russell Education Trust – a proven charitable trust that already runs the outstanding Bristol Free School. Brentwood is extremely lucky to have Becket Keys opening in September and Mr Scott-Evans will be a successful leader. Anyone parent that attended the forums will have seen his vision, drive and commitment. Brentwood will finally have a secondary Faith school - this should applauded.”