The three top Isle of Sheppey Academy bosses are leaving – as a new sponsor prepares to take over.

Principal David Day and executive heads Alan Klee and David Rahman are stepping down at the end of term.

In their place will be an executive principal, David Millar, from sponsor Oasis Community Learning (OCL), who will be splitting his time between the Island and another school in London.

It is the fourth change of leadership since the £54m academy was launched in 2009 and with it comes an audit on “the needs of the school” and possible restructuring.

The announcement has disappointed Swale Labour leader Mike Haywood who says it’s a shock at a time the academy needs continuity.

He said: “David Day commanded a lot of respect and had a fantastic vision for the future and made a brilliant start. It’s really important that is upheld.

“I’m shocked at the news at a time the academy needs stability. We now have this sudden change.”

OCL, which will become the sole sponsor in January, said Mr Millar has a proven track-record of delivering academic excellence and school improvement.

We reported in April how charity OCL was partnering the existing ones.

When Mr Day started in September 2011 he said he planned to stay for a decade.

Although he still believes it’s a 10-year project, he feels shared leadership could slow down good progress already achieved.

The 52-year-old said: “The Ofsted rating has improved and GCSE and A-level results were at record levels last year.

“Oasis has a tremendous track record in delivering improvement.

“I think the time is right I move on – with the change of sponsor it allows them to have the people they want to run it.

“I can understand people may have concerns but change needs to be introduced to help maintain momentum.”

Although Mr Day agreed pupils need continuity, he said it’s often other staff who actually implement visions and policies.

He added: “This community deserves a strong good school and recruiting Teach First candidates has secured its long term future.

“I would like to thank students, parents and staff who supported what I’ve been trying to do.”

Mr Klee, executive head of the west site, Sheerness, started as Minster College head teacher in 2003 and is retiring after turning 60 last week.

“It’s a demanding job and I have given it my best shot,” he said.

“I think Oasis is exactly what the school needs – it has an amazing amount of resources to bring in and very experienced leaders.

“The school will be very successful in time.”

Executive head of the east site, Minster, Mr Rahman, feels he has achieved what he wanted.

The 55-year-old’s job was to help set up the school, recruit staff, improve standards and move into the new buildings.

“I’ve enjoyed meeting people, the challenges and the successes so it will be with a feeling of mixed emotions I leave,” he said.

“I appreciate there’s a bit of uncertainty but the [Oasis] people I have spoken to are very committed.

“While some parents may be worried, it has a good track record and part of its success is based on parent engagement.”

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The original sponsor of the Isle of Sheppey Academy was Dulwich College in partnership with Kent County Council and the Diocese of Canterbury.

Dulwich will remain on board to provide advice but Oasis will become the sole sponsor as of January.

A spokesman for Oasis gave assurances there would be a strong leadership team in place but said they would not necessarily fill the positions left by the departing executive heads ‘like for like’.

He said Oasis will be auditing the needs of the school and looking at the structure.

New executive principal David Millar is also lead principal of the Oasis Academy Coulsdon in Croydon and will share his time between the two, with the emphasis on the Island.

The 36-year-old said: “I am committed to school and community transformation, to inclusion and to unlocking human potential.

“I am confident with the strong foundation laid by the current sponsors and by embedding Oasis’s unique approach to education, Isle of Sheppey Academy can become a centre of excellence for the Island – the students and the community deserve that.”