I’ve been growing a little concerned by some recent news around Thamesmead regarding provisions for kids. I went along to the South Thamesmead Neighbourhood Group last week where I discovered that the headmaster of Bexley Business Academy was due to leave, and also that Mark Blundell, former manager of The Link has left. Today I read in the News Shopper that there are far more staff leaving BBA than just Guy, the amiable man who had headed up the school and spoke with pride of the improvement it had seen in recent years. It’s a school that has displayed banners with quotes from recent Offsted reports across its gates. There seems to be a lack of requirement for staff all of a sudden, though, as reported by the paper:
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/11351017.At_least_14_staff_to_leave_The_Business_Academy__Bexley/
As for The Link, I’d always found Mark to be proactive and friendly and keen to see youth involvement in plans for the future of Thamesmead. His departure seems to have gone without comment in the press or on The Link’s own website, and happened very suddenly – one day he was volunteering to arrange a minibus for the STNG, then within weeks he was gone. I’m not one to jump to conclusions or encourage rumour without foundation but it all looks a little bit strange.