A head teacher who had been making improvements after taking over at a failing secondary is standing down from his position amid “intense political pressure”.
Simon Sharples joined Sandwich Technology School in January last year, after it had been placed in special measures in May 2024 following an ‘inadequate’ rating by Ofsted.
Simon Sharples has announced he will step down as head teacher of Sandwich Technology School
Inspectors said fights, bullying and truancy were rife but have since praised significant improvements, including better behaviour, fewer children skipping lessons, and noted that fighting is now rare, and is dealt with swiftly if it occurs.
While the school is still in special measures, the latest monitoring visit said improvements have continued and that students “feel safe in school and have faith that issues are dealt with more consistently”.
Last month, the Department for Education (DfE) put forward a proposal to transfer the secondary to the Barton Court Academy Trust (BCAT).
Mr Sharples said his decision to step down had nothing to do with those plans, but said the school had been placed under “intense political pressure” since February last year.
In a letter sent to parents today (June 19), he said this has taken time and focus away from students, staff, parents and the community.
Sandwich Technology School has shown signs of improvement since receiving an ‘inadequate’ rating following an Ofsted inspection
Expressing “great sadness” at his decision to step down at the end of the academic year, he added: “The external pressure has built over the last 15 months and has had a significant impact on my family and me.
“I want to be very clear that my decision has nothing to do with the proposed plans to join Barton Court Academy Trust.
“Having seen the work completed already and the plans for the future, I know the school is in very safe hands and standards are going to improve rapidly.
“An executive head teacher from the trust is already working here, and a head of school will be in place for September.“
Mr Sharples added that Ofsted scrutiny had no bearing on his decision, saying the school always welcomed external feedback from visiting inspectors.
The announcement comes amid a potential move for Sandwich Technology School to the Barton Court Academy Trust
“However, in my opinion, it was highly irregular that a full Ofsted inspection was scheduled the next working day after a proposal for the school to join a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) was made public,” he said.
“The sequencing of these two events on top of the external pressure I had experienced over the previous year triggered my decision to step down.
“I look forward to giving my all to the school over the final few weeks of the academic year.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you as parents and have appreciated your commitment to the school and your support.
“I will always look back positively at my time here, but also with a sense of regret that I was unable to stay longer and fulfil my ambitions for the school.”
Cllr Dan Friend said he was “deeply saddened” by the news
He said he had made the decision shortly before half-term, but had to wait to announce it while dealing with legal matters.
Commenting on the announcement, Dover District Council Cllr Dan Friend (Con) said he was “deeply saddened” after seeing first-hand Mr Sharples’ commitment to driving the school forward.
“Taking on a school facing significant challenges is never easy, but Simon brought energy, professionalism and determination to the role,” said the Sandwich representative.
“He has worked tirelessly on behalf of students, parents and the wider community, often under considerable pressure.
“Anyone who has spent time with Simon will know just how much he cared about the school, its pupils and its staff.
Sandwich Technology School in Deal Road
“Whatever the circumstances surrounding his departure, nobody can question the effort, commitment and professionalism he brought to the role.”
Cllr Friend added that, while work remains to be done at the school, Mr Sharples laid the foundations for future improvements, was willing to tackle long-standing issues, and focused on what was best for students.
Sandwich Tech has 1,182 pupils on its roll, including its sixth form.
Last month, the school said that if the transfer goes ahead, it will be “delighted” to join BCAT.
The school is currently a single-academy trust, but after it was plunged into special measures, the government warned it could be taken over.
When an education setting receives a bad Ofsted report, the DfE can mandate moving it to a different academy.
BCAT already oversees three “high-performing” sites – Barton Manor and Barton Court Grammar in Canterbury and Charles Dickens School in Broadstairs.
