A HEADTEACHER is leaving a popular state school to oversee a chain of academies.

Rob Reed will leave Hove Park School and become executive principal for Aldridge Education’s cluster of schools in the South East. They are the Brighton and Portslade Aldridge Community Academies (BACA and PACA)and UTC@harbourside, the university technical college in Newhaven that is co-sponsored by the University of Brighton.

As executive principal Mr Reed will be working with the principals Dylan Davies, Katie Scott and Adanma Umunna to build on the successes of the schools to date. This will include helping them to further work together, share specialist resources and further strengthening relationships with other schools, the council and businesses.

Mr Reed joined Hove Park School as headteacher in September 2015, successfully leading the school through an Ofsted Inspection in October 2016. He played a central role in the successful bid by five local schools to establish a teaching school alliance.

Prior to joining Hove Park he was headteacher at Chessington Community College in Kingston; led The Hillsyde Federation of Schools in South London; and held deputy and assistant headteacher roles at a school in Tower Hamlets.

Chris Tweedale, Aldridge education’s chief executive, said: “Rob has a very strong track record as a school leader and in building partnerships that bring real benefits to his schools and their students. He also brings his excellent knowledge of Brighton and the Sussex region to complement that of our existing principals. This is a very exciting appointment for us.”

“Rob will work with each of the schools to continue to improve the education we offer to all of our young people across the community, and will also be working with other head teachers and governors who wish to explore joining our growing Trust.”

Mr Reed said: “I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed to this post. As a local head teacher, I have observed first hand the superb work of the Trust in Brighton and Hove. I am tremendously excited at the prospect of contributing the Trust’s impressive record of providing excellent education that gives young people the skills and qualifications they need.”

Hove Park’s senior deputy headteacher Jim Roberts will now take up the interim post of acting headteacher at the school in Nevill Road.

Mr Reed and Mr Roberts will work together as co-headteachers until Mr Reed leaves the school in Easter.

In a statement Hove Park School said: “We would like to thank Rob for his hard work and for driving Hove Park School even further forward. We wish him all the best in his new role.”