Chris Atkin presenting flowers to Eve Mummery, whose husband Michael was the first headteacher of St Edmund's School, after the special Mass to mark the school's 50th anniversary.

by Graham Tutthill

gtutthill@thekmgroup.co.uk

A management team from a Church of England school in Thanet have been brought in to support two Dover Catholic schools.

The move follows the sudden resignation of Chris Atkin as executive head teacher of the Federation of Dover Catholic Schools.

Staff and pupils at St Edmund’s Catholic School were called to the school hall to be given the news on Monday, and letters have been sent home to parents this week. They were told that his resignation took effect immediately.

The management team from St George’s C of E Foundation School, Broadstairs, is being brought in to support the federation.

Mr Atkin joined St Edmund’s 14 years ago and it was in 2008 that the federation was set up, covering both St Edmund’s and St Richard’s Catholic Primary School. Mr Atkin became the executive head teacher.

A spokesman for the federation said: “After 14 years of service, Chris Atkin, executive head teacher of the Federation of Dover Catholic Schools, will step down immediately from the post to allow for a smoother transition to a leadership which will take the schools on to even greater success in the future.

“A new leadership team has undertaken to support the federation until a substantive executive head teacher is put in place. The main team are Kim Stoner and her two deputies, Richard Billings and Adam Mirams, from St George’s C of E Foundation School, Broadstairs.”

No reason has been given for Mr Atkin’s resignation.

Full story in this week's Dover Mercury, together with a two-page picture spread on the special Mass held at Canterbury Cathedral to mark St Edmund's School's 50th anniversary year.