Former chair of governors at forced academy takeover school now acting chief executive at chain once poised to run it

A strike demonstration outside the John Roan last October

A well-known former chair of governors who was caught up in controversy over the abortive takeover of a London comprehensive by an academy trust has been acting as the chain’s chief executive in recent months, Education Uncovered has learnt.

Christine Whatford, a very experienced former local government official and consultant, who stood down as chair of governors at the John Roan school, Greenwich, after it failed an Ofsted inspection last year, is now acting chief executive at the east London-based University Schools Trust (UST).

She has been in this role since at least February, with the trust telling Education Uncovered that the current permanent chief executive, Grahame Price, has been on sick leave. Whatford is also a former chair of the UST.

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