Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / WEST MIDLANDS
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

11:32 GMT, Tuesday, 6 May 2008 12:32 UK

'Superhead' school police probe

Maureen Brennan

A school turned around by a "superhead" is being investigated over attendance figure "irregularities", police said.

Dame Maureen Brennan was credited with taking Hillcrest School, in Netherton, Dudley, out of special measures.

However, allegations are now being investigated into whether registers were altered to show pupils were in lessons when they were not.

Dame Maureen's husband said she would not be commenting until the fraud investigation had finished.

Dame Maureen left the school last year to take over a post at another school in the West Midlands.

Dudley Education Authority said the allegations related to records kept when Dame Maureen was in charge.

Attendance figures

Dame Maureen took over the job of head teacher at the failing school in 2000.

She led it out of special measures and later Ofsted inspectors described her as "outstanding".

She was honoured in the June 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours List in recognition of her work at Hillcrest.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said he could not comment on Dame Maureen specifically.

However, he said: "An economic crime team is looking into allegations of irregularities concerning attendance figures at Hillcrest School and Community College."

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council children's services spokeswoman Elizabeth Walker confirmed an investigation was taking place.



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:
One-year warning for weak schools (06 Sep 05 |  Education )
Setting the school respect agenda (22 Jul 05 |  Education )
Queen's awards for education (11 Jun 05 |  Education )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
West Midlands Police
Hillcrest School and Community College
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
UK Contents:  England | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales | UK Politics | Education | Magazine

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©