A legal battle over Tottington High School headteacher David Yates is being kept under wraps by Shaw Education Trust, which has now hired outside PR experts to contain the storm.
The Trust has confirmed for the first time that its dispute with Mr Yates is both legal and confidential, though it has refused to outline the nature of the case.
External agency Engaging Education has been brought in to take over communications in what appears to be a growing crisis. A new spokesperson speaking on behalf of the Trust, described the matter as legal and confidential and said no further details could be given.
The development follows weeks of mounting speculation from parents and pupils over Mr Yates’ absence since June. His last public appearance was in a widely shared video, viewed more than 60,000 times on Facebook, showing Year 11 pupils giving him a guard of honour.
Parents had planned a demonstration outside the school last Friday but cancelled after warnings from the Trust that it could pose a safeguarding risk. The school still closed early on the day, citing fears that some protestors may still turn up.
Emails seen by Roch Valley Radio show parents accused the Trust of refusing to engage in meaningful dialogue about how the protest could be managed safely. The Trust responded by warning that publicity on social media meant it was impossible to control the size or nature of the crowd, which it said created a “huge safeguarding risk”.
The row has escalated rapidly since July, when a petition titled “Save Mr Yates” gathered momentum online. At the time, the Trust firmly denied claims his absence was linked to ADHD, stressing that no staff member had ever been suspended because of a disability.
With the dispute now confirmed to be legal in nature, the Trust’s refusal to explain its position has fuelled further calls for transparency from the school community. In the meantime, deputy heads Mrs Rachael Deakin and Mrs Louise Jaunbocus-Cooper continue to lead the school, backed by the Trust’s wider support team.
Greater Manchester Police have confirmed there is no investigation into Mr Yates and therefor this is purely an internal Trust matter.
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