Dame Sally Coates to Leave Burlington Danes
Principal who turned round White City School has new role with rival group
Dame Sally Coates is leaving her job as principal of Burlington Danes Academy in September.
Burlington Danes is in White City is the flagship school of the ARK academies group, where she has worked for five years.
When she joined, the schoolwas failing and had been in special measures but under her guidance it has turned around and in December last year, received an Outstanding Ofsted report, with top marks in all four categories.
In January 2013, she was knighted in the Queen's New Year's Honours List for her achievements at the school.
Dame Sally has been appointed Director of another school group, United Learning’s southern academies and will oversee the performance of United Learning’s 15 secondary academies and free schools in southern England, including Wilberforce Primary in W10 and Paddington Academy.
Dame Sally says: " I will really miss the wonderful friends that I have made at Burlington Danes among staff members, parents and of course students."
And she tells her colleagues and students: " I have no doubt that you will thrive as an exceptional school over the coming years."
Announcing the appointment, Jon Coles, Chief Executive of United Learning says: " Sally Coates is one of the most inspiring leaders in education today. Her work at Burlington Danes in building a previous struggling school to become the outstanding academy it is today is admired and respected across the education sector.
"I am very pleased that Sally will be joining United Learning, not only because of her excellent track record, but also because her approach and educational values fit so well with our own."
February 17, 2014
