Cambridge High assistant principal latest to resign

1.00pm

Cambridge High School assistant principal Martin Blackburn has resigned.

Mr Blackburn, who was on sick leave, is the third senior manager to leave the embattled school since allegations of staff bullying and National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) credit cramming were raised four months ago.

Principal Alison Annan and commissioner Dennis Finn reached a confidential settlement last month and her resignation takes effect from December 3. She has not been at the school since her controversial resignation on August 13.

Deputy principal Warren Purdy left at the end of term two for a teaching position overseas.

Mr Blackburn, who had been acting deputy principal since Mr Purdy left, could not be contacted for comment today. Mr Finn confirmed he had resigned, effective immediately.

Details of Mr Blackburn's stress were revealed in Mrs Annan's affidavit to an Employment Court hearing last month.

A 60 Minutes investigation had alleged he wrote answers to a test on the board for students to copy. One student said he gained 35 unit standards in a morning.

Mrs Annan said Mr Blackburn came to her on July 26 and said he could not sleep because of the impact the television programme had had on him. He was upset the board had done nothing publicly to support him, she said.

He wanted to resign then but Mrs Annan said she recommended he take time to think.

The school's insurers were advised the school had a highly stressed senior staff member.

Mr Finn said the priority now was to fill the senior positions.

A review of the staff structure was completed during the school holidays. The NCEA qualifications that recovery students had gained had also been reviewed during the break, he said.

Year 9 enrolments for next year were slightly down but not of any concern, said Mr Finn.

"We're happy where we're at... The community have no reason to fear about the quality of teaching here."

- NZPA