Big ask for new school head

By AINSLEY THOMSON and STUART DYE

The man appointed acting principal of Cambridge High School faces the difficult task of uniting a school divided over the resignation of controversial principal Alison Annan.

Former Hamilton Boys' High School principal Jim Bennett was yesterday appointed acting principal hours after Mrs Annan resigned.

The division in the school was obvious as the news of Mrs Annan's resignation was announced.

The statement was reportedly greeted with a cheer by students.

But many remained loyal to Mrs Annan, whose methods polarised students and teachers during her 12-year tenure at the school.

Head boy Oliver Searle and deputy-head boy Anthony Blackmoore, who came out to talk about the resignation, blamed the outcome on the media.

A distressed Oliver said Mrs Annan had done an incredible job.

"You should take a look at yourself," he said to the media, "because what you have done is disgusting".

Many students supported his view, some throwing stones at the media, but others the Herald believed she was the person responsible for the schools problems, which included a "achievement recovery" programme criticised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

The programme focused on helping students gain catch-up credits with "questionable educational benefit," said NZQA chief executive Karen Van Rooyen.

Student Cindy Mead, 15, who was in the achievement recovery room, said she would have to go through life knowing she had false credits.

"It's not nice knowing that I have false credits. When I leave school or shift my qualification will be false."

Yesterday, Mrs Annan declined to talk to the Herald. She was not the only person connected to the school to resign as the fallout from the Government's measures to fix problems at the school continued.

Board of Trustees member Matt Hannah said he could no longer support chairwoman Diana Grantham and asked her to step down. When she refused he resigned in protest.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard last night said the focus now lay on working in the best interests of the students.

Classes will continue as usual on Monday, as will the normal day-to-day operations of the school, but under a new "top class team" drafted in by the minister.

There will be two limited statutory managers; Dennis Finn and former Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland principal Gail Thompson.

Mr Finn will work with the board and will have all the functions and powers of the board as an employer.

Ms Thompson, who starts on Tuesday, will manage curriculum and assessment practice.