WISBECH HEAD DEPARTURE: COUNTY SAYS HE WAS A MAN OF 'GREAT OPENNESS AND INTEGRY'

JOHN Bennett was described today as a "man of great openness and integrity" by one of the top county council officials involved in re-structuring the Wisbech school.

Mr Bennett, whose shock resignation was revealed exclusively earlier today, "helped to take the school forward and I am extremely grateful to him" said Gordon Jeyes, the deputy chief executive for children and young people's services.

Mr Jeyes also confirmed that the troubled Wisbech school - which has already had three heads in three years- would be looking internally in the first instance to find a new head.

I asked Mr Jeyes if he - and the school- had been had been expecting too much too soon of Mr Bennett.

"I acknowledge the size of the task and the fact the school had lots and lots of room for improvements," he said.

"Some of those improvements had already started, and a number of good things were happening. We need to build on that do that as fast as possible.

"The school has improved and will continue to improve"

Mr Jeyes said Mr Bennett had served the school well, in difficult circumstances, and it was agreed the county council was expecting a lot.

"But the community of Wisbech and the children it serves deserve a good education. That is what we need to build on," he said.

Referring to the financial situation at the school, Mr Jeyes said a previous deficit- from the time of the Queen's School- was written off but there had not been enough action to bring revenue in line with current budgets.

"Yes, the school is still over spending a bit and there has to be an exit strategy for when the Fresh Start money is not there," he said.

"I am not complacent about the budget but compared with issues of behaviour and young people and learning and teaching- these are much m ore important to me.