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The headmaster of one among Britain’s main colleges stepped down from his function forward of schedule after an incident wherein he “misplaced [his] mood” with a colleague led to an impartial investigation, in line with correspondence seen by the Monetary Instances.
In a letter to educating workers and oldsters of pupils, Joseph Spence, headmaster of the as much as £55,000-a-year non-public college Dulwich Faculty, mentioned he was standing down from his function earlier than the college 12 months begins subsequent month after an incident at a summer season workers occasion.
“As a few of you could have heard, I misplaced my mood with a member of workers on the Workers Get together of 4 July — the one time in my profession that something like this occurred,” wrote Spence, including that he had apologised to the colleague concerned.
“That incident has triggered me to replicate on the toll which main a posh multinational establishment like Dulwich has taken on me, notably given the numerous challenges we’ve all confronted lately,” he added.
A separate letter from the college’s chair of governors mentioned the incident “led to an intensive investigation by an impartial investigator appointed by the Governors and acceptable motion has been taken to the Governors’ satisfaction”.
Spence, who has served as headmaster of Dulwich Faculty since 2009, was planning to retire on the finish of the educational 12 months in August 2025, however will now step again into “an ambassadorial and advisory capability”, the letter from Adrian Carr, the chair of governors, mentioned. Spence’s substitute — Robert Milne, present headmaster of rival London non-public college Emanuel Faculty — had already been chosen to begin in September subsequent 12 months. An interim headmaster has been appointed till Milne takes up his put up.
Dulwich Faculty is amongst Britain’s most elite non-public colleges — which counts Oscar-winning actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and parliamentarian Nigel Farage amongst its former pupils. Final 12 months it generated £36mn in web college charges and it has lent its title to a sprawling community of worldwide colleges, largely in Asia, owned by international colleges supplier Schooling in Movement.
Throughout Spence’s tenure, Dulwich Faculty was amongst a bunch of London fee-paying colleges that confronted allegations of sexual assault by former and present pupils and permitting a “rape tradition” to take maintain, which emerged as a part of a web based marketing campaign, generally known as Everybody’s Invited.
Extra lately, non-public colleges have come beneath stress from the newly put in Labour authorities, which initially threatened to take away their charitable standing earlier than rowing again on the thought. From subsequent 12 months, nevertheless, non-public colleges will lose their exemption from the worth added tax, beneath Labour plans to fund 6,500 new state college educating roles.
“I had at all times wished to get to the purpose the place I had seen us by these challenges and would have the ability to move on the torch,” mentioned Spence within the letter. He mentioned his advisory function would focus “on the ambition of elevating funds for bursaries and on finishing up ambassadorial duties as required”.
A consultant for Dulwich Faculty and Spence didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
