GOVERNORS at one of Plymouth's leading secondary schools

have decided to sack its headteacher after a disciplinary

hearing, The Herald can reveal.

Diane Hill, headteacher of Devonport High School for Girls,

faces dismissal seven months after she was suspended pending an

investigation into her conduct.

Ms Hill has 10 days to appeal, and is expected to challenge

the governors' decision.

She faced a panel of three school governors at the Jury's

Inn Hotel during a hearing which lasted two weeks and involved

dozens of witnesses.

The panel have decided that she should be dismissed, and

their finding was rubber-stamped by the full governing body on

Wednesday.

Another panel of governors from the grammar school – which

has more than 800 pupils – is expected to rule on the

appeal.

The reason for the investigation remains a closely-guarded

secret. But according to a source close to the school, the

matter relates to ideas about modernising the grammar, which

has some of the best exam results in the city.

It is understood that relationships between Ms Hill and some

of the governors have broken down.

Chairman of governors Michael Thomas suspended Ms Hill on

November 27 last year – less then two years after governors

appointed her as headteacher.

It is understood that the city council had been trying to

resolve the matter for more than six months before Ms Hill was

suspended.

The council then took part in the investigation, which

culminated in last week's disciplinary hearing.

Governors are anxious to conclude the matter before the end

of the school year.

Anita Hemsi, senior deputy head, has been appointed as

acting headteacher until the investigation is complete.

Ms Hill moved to the 830-pupil grammar school from a job as

a school improvement partner, a type of adviser, at Bexley

Local Education Authority in Kent, and before that she was

vice-principal at Knowles Hill School in Newton Abbot.

She has been a teacher for more than 23 years.

Devonport High is a specialist language college. It has also

been redesignated as a “leading-edge school”, which means it

works with other schools to raise standards.

It is understood that Ms Hill wanted to make changes which

she thought would improve the school, but these ran into

opposition from some staff and governors.

Ms Hill was unavailable for comment.