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Friday, June 27, 2008, 11:45
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.
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SCHOOL HEAD: Diane Hill pictured in happier times at the school
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