UPDATE: Fortrose Academy loses both head teacher and deputy head to ‘approved leave’
Highland Council has confirmed that both the head teacher and deputy head teacher at Fortrose Academy are on what it called “approved leave.”
We revealed that head teacher Jacquie Ross had been replaced on an “interim basis” – now we can confirm that her deputy Val Patterson is also on “approved leave.”
Pupils, parents and staff have been left in the dark at what is behind the move.
The changes represent one of the biggest shake-ups at any school in the Highlands for quite some time and points to concerns voiced across the region by pupils, parents and critics of a crisis in education.
But the council has refused to offer any explanation and its response only discussed its ‘“duty” to staff and made no reference to the pupils, parents and staff affected by the changes.
Highland Council has also been asked to define what it means by “approved leave” but the local authority refused, saying: “We have nothing further to add as we are unable to comment on personnel matters.”
A council spokeswoman said of Mrs Ross and Ms Paterson that: “They are on approved leave and we are unable to comment on personnel matters.”
