THE principal of a Bournemouth secondary school is stepping down, parents have today been told.

Jason Holbrook, who took on the role at Avonbourne Girls' Academy in September this year, will not return after the Christmas break.

The school will close for half-term on Friday.

Mr Holbrook was made acting principal after the departure of Debbie Godfrey-Phaure earlier this year.

A letter sent to parents today, Wednesday, reads: "As we approach the end of term, we wanted to inform you that Jason Holbrook is standing down as principal of the girls’ academy and will leave the school at Christmas.

"We would like to thank Jason for his vital contribution to the school, not least during the transition into United Learning during the course of this year. We wish him well for the future and look forward to keeping in touch with him."

Mr Holbrook was initially made head of Avonbourne School in 2007.

He stepped into a new role earlier this year when Ms Godfrey-Phaure, CEO of Avonbourne Trust, announced she was leaving 24 hours after the publication of a damning Ofsted report into Harewood College.

The school - as well as Avonbourne - was then managed by the Avonbourne Trust.

Ms Godfrey-Phaure had been off work since January for health reasons and made the decision to leave at the beginning of the academic year in September 2018, officials from the educational trust said.

In June this year, it was announced that the Avonbourne Trust would close, and its four schools – including Harewood and Avonbourne – would be transferred to a bigger organisation, United Learning.

United Learning also runs Carter Community School in Poole and Glenmoor and Winton Academies in Bournemouth.

Former Magna Academy principal Richard Tutt, once dubbed Britain’s strictest head teacher, joined United Learning as its executive principal at that time.

The full letter sent to parents today

As we approach the end of term, we wanted to inform you that Jason Holbrook is standing down as principal of the girls’ academy and will leave the school at Christmas.

We would like to thank Jason for his vital contribution to the school, not least during the transition into United Learning during the course of this year. We wish him well for the future and look forward to keeping in touch with him.

We are currently considering the best leadership structure for the school for the years ahead and how we best manage the boys’ and girls’ academies and the sixth form. We will update you on our thinking once this is finalised.

This has been a busy but very productive term at the academies. The changes that we have been putting in place have bedded in and we are very grateful for the support of the overwhelming majority of parents in their continued success. The benefits that these changes have been introduced to deliver are already becoming apparent and the schools are in a strong position to begin the new year.

Thank you for your continued support of the school. We know that Mr Holbrook would also like to thank parents for their commitment to Avonbourne and your support of the leadership team.

May we wish you a restful Christmas holiday and an enjoyable new year.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Tutt

Executive principal