Controversial headteacher is staying on

3:00pm Sunday 17th February 2013 in News By Peter Truman

James Fox James Fox

A controversial headteacher who suspended scores of pupils has had his tenure extended.

James Fox hit headlines with his hardline stance, leaving more than 25 pupils suspended in his first week of term in January.

Portslade Aldridge Community Academy (PACA) is currently hunting for a permanent headteacher.

In the meantime it has confirmed Mr Fox will stay on as interim head for another term.

Despite requests from The Argus, we have been unable to interview Mr Fox about his policies as he is only the interim headteacher.

But his position did not stop him launching a crackdown on uniform infringements which divided opinion among staff, students and parents.

He left his former job under a cloud of mystery, with a legal agreement signed preventing the reasons for his leaving becoming public.

His arrival also coincided with the academy telling 25 students they were being transferred from the sixth form to other colleges next academic year.

The academy was also criticised by Ofsted inspectors in January.

They said it “required improvement” and was failing to manage the behaviour of its most challenging pupils.

Chairwoman of governors Honor Wilson-Fletcher said: “Everyone on the governing body wishes me to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the staff at PACA for their commitment and positive responses to the challenges facing the academy, most importantly in the wake of the Ofsted inspection just before Christmas.

“Whilst the governors have of course been focusing on the recommendations of the Ofsted report as a priority, we are also aware that staff will be anxious to know what we intend for PACA in terms of leadership.

"This is to confirm that we will be advertising for a permanent principal very shortly, before the end of February, with the intention that the successful candidate would commence in this role from September.

“In the meantime, we are very pleased that James Fox has agreed to stay on as interim principal until the end of the summer term.

“We will do our best to let you know the outcome of our recruitment search as soon as possible.”

Comments(25)

the taffster says...
4:11pm Sun 17 Feb 13

good for you mr fox.kick out unruly kids and hopefully their parents will accept responsibility for their childs upbringing.after all they are a product of their lowlife.

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sarahjh2008 says...
4:59pm Sun 17 Feb 13

I back Mr Fox 100%. He has dealt with issues swiftly and professionally. As for suspension due to uinform the parents and children had been warned on several occasions. Surely it is parental responsibility to ensure their children attend the school dressed properly with the correct behaviour. Its been too easy to blame others in recent years.
My son attends the school and is for the first time able to attend classes knowing an adult not an unruly pupil is in charge. This was evident in his school report received yesterday.
I have always voiced my frustration at local children having to attend a substandard school due to a flawed school application process....maybe now the PACA students stand a fighting chance.
It's a shame Mr Fox can only stay until July.

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Reporter1 says...
5:15pm Sun 17 Feb 13

How else do you improve results except by kicking out those that are trouble or too thick. The problem is that you also keep out those that could develope into good students given the chance.

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risingphoenix says...
5:16pm Sun 17 Feb 13

If he's so good, how come he hasn't been offered the post permanantly?

Sound like there's more to his previous dismissal than meets the eye...

If he has nothing to hide, how come he has something to fear about the facts coming out?

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HJarrs says...
5:50pm Sun 17 Feb 13

Excellent news for the Argus and those that like to comment on this school's activities as there will now be stream of stories to report upon.

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Ballroom Blitz says...
7:07pm Sun 17 Feb 13

Top news. This is what we want. Suspend the children who don't conform, and create something worth being proud of.l

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rolivan says...
7:36pm Sun 17 Feb 13

Although he has every right to punish troublemakers I am more concerned that He is working with Children whilst being able to keep secret the reason for leaving His last Employment.

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Ballroom Blitz says...
7:44pm Sun 17 Feb 13

rolivan wrote:
Although he has every right to punish troublemakers I am more concerned that He is working with Children whilst being able to keep secret the reason for leaving His last Employment.
Please..... Slur, slur, slur, with no evidence. Tw*t.

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mimseycal says...
7:55pm Sun 17 Feb 13

No slur. Merely a fact reported by a newspaper which states that Mr Fox did indeed leave his former employment, and I quote "with a legal agreement signed preventing the reasons for his leaving becoming public."

Having said that, I dare say that a full DRB check will have been done by the Aldridge Foundation.

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sarahjh2008 says...
8:16pm Sun 17 Feb 13

Has anyone thought the legal block could be to do with confidentiality regarding the school and not Mr Fox?

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mimseycal says...
8:26pm Sun 17 Feb 13

A school that cannot disclose why it parted company with an employee? Now that WOULD be worrying ...

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Dave At Home says...
12:03am Mon 18 Feb 13

The wonderful wheels of the BIG PR machine at work, Sir Rod will be proud and him being a local boy as well. Maybe we should ask him to rejoin the the Council and sort things out there too.

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Cabin fever says...
9:01am Mon 18 Feb 13

mimseycal wrote:
No slur. Merely a fact reported by a newspaper which states that Mr Fox did indeed leave his former employment, and I quote "with a legal agreement signed preventing the reasons for his leaving becoming public."

Having said that, I dare say that a full DRB check will have been done by the Aldridge Foundation.
Is that similar to a CRB check?

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Cave Johnson says...
9:04am Mon 18 Feb 13

He probably signed a compromise agreement. The Argus should be familiar with them having made some of their own staff redundant.

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mimseycal says...
9:12am Mon 18 Feb 13

Cabin fever wrote:
mimseycal wrote:
No slur. Merely a fact reported by a newspaper which states that Mr Fox did indeed leave his former employment, and I quote "with a legal agreement signed preventing the reasons for his leaving becoming public."

Having said that, I dare say that a full DRB check will have been done by the Aldridge Foundation.
Is that similar to a CRB check?
It is the same only renamed. The Disclosure and Barring Service was established under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and merges the functions previously carried out by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

The same check is carried out but now referred to as a DBS check. Sorry, I referred to it previously as a DRB ... my typo therefore mea culpa.

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lemoncake20 says...
10:55am Mon 18 Feb 13

About time there was a teacher that is not scared to do his job and dismiss the trouble makers

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whereisthe...? says...
11:05am Mon 18 Feb 13

We should start a Facebook campaign to keep this hero a headteacher!!


I back him 100% also.


See what happens when anyone with sense stands up to some of these idiot so-called 'parents'? (Who are basically infants themselves) They throw a tantrum!

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Maureen Jenner says...
12:38pm Mon 18 Feb 13

As a long retired headteacher, I heartily concur with the last two statements. Bravo.

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brightonearly says...
1:22pm Mon 18 Feb 13

Why are people so interested in what happened in his previous employment?! It's what he is doing now at PACA that is important!
He is doing a great job and making the place a much nicer place to work. I hope he goes for the permanent role and gets it. Fantastic head!

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risingphoenix says...
6:47pm Mon 18 Feb 13

mimseycal wrote:
A school that cannot disclose why it parted company with an employee? Now that WOULD be worrying ...
Indeed it would...

http://www.theargus.
co.uk/news/9956448.H
eadteacher_investiga
ted_after_Worthing_H
igh_School_academy_b
id/

"The school said that it couldn’t comment on the investigation.

Chairman of governors Tony Cohen said he hoped it would be concluded in two to three weeks but added the school would never be able to talk about its contents. "

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grumpybumm says...
7:35pm Mon 18 Feb 13

You are saying great get rid of the troubled or to thick. Some of those kids may of come from troubled backgrounds and just need some stability. Some of those children may simply be struggling. And if going by the ofstead report shows the teachers have no idea how to properly deal with those kids. The head seams to of taken the decision that anybody doing almost anything wrong will be suspended automatically to make him look good. Do you think kids see one pupil wearing a pair of suede vans and
One wearing a normal black pair. There is no difference in appearance but the canvas wearer gets suspended. I think you need to get your teachers and teaching strategies sorted before you stop kids from gaining to school for having there top button undone that is what ofstead will be looking for.

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sarahjh2008 says...
9:25pm Mon 18 Feb 13

I wonder how many people commenting have children actually attending the school and if they still would think they way they do if was one of their children being bullied, scared daily and receiving a substandard education. I agree that all pupils deserve a decent service regardless of background. But as my child attends PACA I have first hand experience of what the school was like and how the destructive influences effected those around them.
I am behind Mr Fox and the discipline he is installing into the school. Hopefully he is not too late to turn it around for the older students.

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cobby67 says...
10:41pm Mon 18 Feb 13

I am really pleased for the people for whose children mr fox's regime has worked for, unfortunately this take does not work for all children. I do believe in rules and regulations but not all children through no fault of their own can respond to this regime. My daughter is one of those but even she is entitled to an education and his way is declining her of this!

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hubby says...
3:28pm Tue 19 Feb 13

Poor kids!
I bet a lot of those commenting on here would like to bring back the cane,the strap,the birch and hanging.
True British values.LOL.

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ethel80 says...
10:04pm Tue 19 Feb 13

I 100% believe a head teacher should rid the school nasty, bullying trouble makers so those who want to learn have a chance to do so with out fear. Believe I know, I went to PACA when it was PCC and it's a terrible school and I was bullied daily for 5 years and my education suffered because I felt sick at the thought of school. Their approach then is the same as it now, just not quite so drastic, all they cared about was attendance and uniform and that they got enough A-C grades in their exam results. This seems to be the report on Mr Fox, with the added force of kicking out A level students after 1 term because they might not get top grades. Maybe he is right to do such things but the heart of it should be educating the child and protecting them from harm. My bullies were "well behaved", intelligent, young girls who always wore the correct uniform and were very careful not to get caught tormenting me. Even though I was a quiet girl minding my own business, never in trouble, because I didn't shine, I was never believed. Mr Fox needs to make sure that all the "good" students that wear the right uniform are what they say there are, just like every child that messes up occasionally isn't necessarily a bad child - it isn't all black and white and maybe now he has made his grand entrance he will make sure that the education and safety of the children are the first priority. He will end up with more respect and children getting better grades for taking time not to treat them like cattle.

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