A HEADTEACHER has resigned following accusations of heavy-handed management.

Fiona Cordeaux made a sudden mid-term departure from her job as principle of Walthamstow Academy in Billet Road, weeks before a union ballot was to decide whether staff should strike over alleged unreasonable behaviour.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) decided to hold the ballot following complaints about the headteacher’s leadership style and the alleged victimisation of staff.

The school denies that any substantiated complaints have ben made, but it is highly unusual for a headteacher to leave a school mid-term.

Waltham Forest Trades Union Council (TUC) secretary, Darren O'Grady, said he does not know whether the two events are linked but praised the NUT’s stance.

“We would like to salute our colleagues in NUT for their brave stand,” he said.

School managers the United Learning Trust, which is funded by The United Church Schools Trust (UCST), have appointed Emma Skae as acting principal.

She joined the school in January from Hackney Free and Parochial School where she had been a deputy head for several years.

Ms Skae will remain as acting principal until a permanent appointment is made later this year.

A spokesman for the United Learning Trust, which manages the school, said: “Mrs Cordeaux requested to step down from her position as principal of Walthamstow Academy with immediate effect and this has been accepted.”

Deputy chief executive of ULT Charlotte Rendle-Short added: “We would like to thank Mrs Cordeaux for her hard work and commitment as principal. Her leadership of the academy has given it strong results on which to build an excellent future.”

NUT division secretary Rinaldo Frezzato confirmed that the strike ballot will no longer take place after the ULT contacted the union on the day the ballot was due with an offer “to resolve the situation”.

Mr Frezzato said: “I am pleased and relieved that a dispute that has been going on for a very long time has now been resolved to the satisfaction of both sides.

“While the NUT is opposed to academies in principle, it is our policy to try to ensure that where they exist the management and NUT work in harmony.

“I am looking forward to meeting the new principle once he or she is appointed and I hope very much that the NUT will be able to work with them. We will make every effort to do so.”

The ULT spokesman said it was not known which school or position Fiona Cordeaux is moving to.