Hackney superhead Greg Wallace resigns
Shock resignation: Greg Wallace, Executive Principal of the Best Start Federation
Hackney superhead Greg Wallace has suddenly resigned while an investigation into management practices at the Best Start Federation continues.
Mr Wallace was suspended in July from his role as Executive Prinicpal of the Best Start Federation, which runs five Hackney primary schools, following allegations he awarded an IT contract to his boyfriend Tony Zangoura.
Cllr Rita Krishna, Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services, said in a statement that the Learning Trust’s priority is to ensure children’s education is not disrupted.
“Steve Belk, former Chief Executive of The Learning Trust, has been appointed to support Best Start Federation until the investigation process has concluded,” she said.
“We will publish the findings of the investigation in due course which will include any relevant disciplinary action in its recommendations.”
A council spokesperson said no agreement had been reached with Mr Wallace over the resignation, which will take effect from 31 December.
Wish him nothing but the very best. He needs to do what’s best for him.
Have to say am very sad that it came to this. I am terrified as to what will happen to our children.
We now we know. He is not returning and I am not surprised. I hope our children will not be in any way effected. I am willing to support our teachers in any way I can.
Good luck Greg. We are going to really miss you. Like what you said here:
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/primary-school-superhead-in-it-contract-probe-quits-8954500.html
As a parent my heart is very heavy for the past 24 hours. I am the one that’s always thanking Greg for some of our wonderful staff. We parents really want to have continuity in our children’s lives. I hope there will be no changes now that Greg has left. I wish him nothing but the very best for the future.
@5 I know exactly how you feel. We too just think we got the best of the best with our Nursery teacher. Knowing who he is and he most certainly got the BS in life. He gives selflessly to our children every single day. A group of us parents want to say thank you to Greg for choosing these people. We feel privileged and honored sending our children to this classroom. Greg, I know our loss is someone else’s gain. Good luck.
Greg Wallace is a big loss to our school. I thought he was an amazing Head… why can’t parents decide what and who is best for schools???
@7 what a great idea – parents should be allowed to have a say on who is best for us.
I heard this news with deep feelings of loss because my childs teacher … WHO IS FANTASTIC – she told the new executive head is someone who has never worked in a primary school… ee don’t know what to believe. When r we going to meet steve belt?
I have questions
So very sad, mr wallace will be missed very much by all the children and many of us parents!! I am now worried for my little girls future at school as there has been so much distruption already I don’t like the sound of this ‘Steve belt’ and feel that he will do more harm than good!!
This is indeed a terrible loss for our schools. How could this have happened? It’s heartwarming to read some of the comment on teachers. Keep up the great work you all do. Peace be with you,Greg and thanks for all you have done.
The letter we were handed was from a governor I have never seen or heard of. But it said we would have a meeting with steve belk in a few weeks. This is not acceptable. He must come and meet us next week as there are questions I want answered. There are too many rumours. We need his email address too so we can contact him.
I hope greg will speak out soon. I know he has a lot to say on corruption within Hackney education and how senior figures ride roughshod over schools to maintain their dubious jobs and salary packages.
Okoruwa must go too now. She is the ringleader of bad practice. Most heads hate her.
The atmosphere inside hlt at the moment is toxic. Things are far worse here since she took control
@12 I think you are so right and we should request a meeting with Mr.Belk. Am fearful this will end in misery for all involved. Disgraceful that we are at this point.
@14 is definitely correct. We need to hear Belk’s vision for the schools, hear about his track record in primary schools… We need to know how he was appointed and who else applied for the job. And who appointed him? What criteria were used?? The crony test?
I just don’t understand why on earth Mr.wallace would resign. If he is innocent he would have come back in all his glory. Now it looks like he is hiding something more. Now before you all jump to defend him- I too agree he did a lot of good for these school , but he lacks in “judgment” I mean why on earth would he have given that contract to his partner with the full knowledge HLT would at some point look for some wrongdoings. I just hope for him that nothing more comes to the surface. He should NOT have resigned.
I am very saddened that this has happened. We need to ensure the children’s safety and belk must explain how he will guarantee the welfare of the children now mr wallace can not.
A true inspiration to all pupils and staff. The future is very bleak. A serious loss of leadership and guidance for Hackney. This will have an impact on all concerned.
Hopefully there will be no upheaval in our children’s lives. We have no choice now but to get on with it and give this new leader a chance to prove himself.
A wonderful man who has dedicated his life to the children of Hackney has been hung out to dry by the learning trust. He resigned not because he was guilty or had anything to hide but because the man is human and he has been worn out by the relentless questioning of The Learning Trust. He took on five underachieving schools and worked hard to give their children a chance.
People have said so much about how he has taken money I don’t think the learning trust realise how many hours this man worked. We have received e mails on Saturdays and Sundays to advise us of changes he has made to lessons and how he could help and support us.
It is not all about money in education it is about dedication. I know things will not be the same but I know the staff in Greg’s schools will try to keep things going in his name. All those people who are calling him, its because you didn’t make the grade you did not reach his bench marks and for the sake of the children he no longer wanted you. No matter what is said being hard on his staff who slack is what made outstanding schools. I will always work in the name of Greg Wallace.
WELL SAID!!!
He is only human.
To have your name dragged through the mud must have been awful for him!
I hope Hackney Learning Trust are satisfied for taking this man away from the children of the Federation, and depriving future children of his vision.
What? Are you people living in the real world? Super head….. Super bully more like it. Reading a previous Ofsted report with the comment made about his approach to leading as ‘steely’ should have actually sent shivers down the spine of anyone associated with leadership skills. At least someone in the team saw through him! Mr Wallace came equipped with his ‘stickers’ which were quickly bought into by many of schools, hell bent on following the propoganda of lunacy. That added to all the waste paper that was not needed and obviously lining the pocket of Wallace and the boyfriend, he obviously was the brains behind the sticker mania. Good riddance. What goes it fast comes down quickest.
@22 – yes, you are so right on all points. Just don’t understand why people would worship him. He loved the power. Mark my word he has left plenty that are just like him- bullies. Hopefully this new leadership will bring a better atmosphere to our schools and treat everyone with RESPECT – costs nothing.
I cannot really believe this has happened. There was so much going on for the good in best start and now it seems like many are going to leave. Greg will always have my total support as a leader and teacher. If this was not an effort to stop us being an academy then why are we not becoming one now? Hackney have bullied the way to a cheap victory and the cost is destruction.
Bye—— don’t care that he has gone. Actually G Brady is a nice person and guess what, she has manners. Like@23 said” cost nothing” We will be fine and people leave their jobs every single day. Remember we are all replaceable.
A nice lady??? Is that the best you can think to say of okoruws ex chief crony? ??
Now sian davies is in the hlt she is okoruws new chief crony. Sian is very nice lady I suppose. Sorry gill.
I think now Mr Greg Wallace has resigned from his post we have heard enough about this man and his partner. My concerns are bigger than GW. I am concerned about all the comments on the other blogs in relation to this story. There are clear allegations of exceptionally corrupt activity within HLT yet nobody seems to want to launch the much-needed public investigation into what goes on in the HLT. I fear the corruption must spread up and out from the HLT, through the Council and direct to the senior executives who earn six figure salaries but are never seen by ordinary workers. Okorwa drives around in a very large car, often with Ms Brady at her side. They are running are education service down and no Headteacher in his or her right mind would work for this regime of fear and terror. Not least after the Parkwood scandal when governors appointed a Head and then Okoruwa decided she did not like him and he lost the job before he started… The schools are played with like toys to satisfy the personal greed of a few fat cats who like to talk but have no ability in the classroom.
There is allegations of nepotism against Okoruwa and we need to know the truth. Do her sons work there with her? Has she employed her mate Sian Davies? Does Gill Brady have a degree or not???Does Martin Buck have a degree??? Wake up guys. GW is gone – we have bigger problems in Hackney and someone needs to heed the warnings before there is a disaster,
It may well be that Brady and Buck DO have degrees… if so – why not issue a statement to that effect and produce photo evidence??? That would quell some of the storm. Maybe Okoruwa’s sons have never worked at HLT…
It does seem that Okorwua is now in bed with the NUT. And guess what, her new crony is an ex-employee of hers from when she was a Headteacher…
I agree with Investigate the Trust. It is about time the Trust were investigated even if it just means them being transparent about their own recruitment practisses.
The Trust need to respond to this request by tomorrow: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/recruitment_practices_3
When they answerr (if they do) then we will know the truth.
Leave the Greg Walllace matter behind. Investigate the Trust.
@28. Thank you for highlighting this very pertinent FOI request. Of course we know some of the answers to the top 5 and their relatives and friends.
And we also know that parents complained bitterly this summer when FIVE ‘young Hackney’ senior social workers EMPLOYED THEIR OWN CHILDREN. What did Alan Wood CBE do? NOTHING.. These ‘staff’ lounged outside their parents workspace eating and doing nothing. Ww complained and Wood refused to intervene.
@27 is correct to demand publication of data on qualified staff. HLT HR have made countless errors in verifying qualifications. The most shocking recent school case was a deputy head at okoruwas old school who was unqualified. .. and the brady story if true is scandalous
@27 is so right and we need to demand an investigation. They can NOT be allowed to continue with this behaviour. I fell our schools are falling apart. It’s a disgrace and we have to stand up and fight this.
I agree with the above comments 27-31, Tricia and her cronies need to be investigated. One school who is recruiting for a Head Teacher has been told that Tricia will sit on the panel, why? She already knows who she wants to appoint as the Head Teacher of the school. Disgraceful, corrupt bullies that’s what they are. How come Rita Krishna can comment to press about GW resignation but no comments on all the corruption in LT.
Finally we are going to stand up to LT. Our school is just such a miserable and depressing place. We now have staff turning against one another. It’s all down to this LT. They have brought a terrible bullying culture to our building- we want them OUT.
@32 is totally right. Okoruwa has made her choice. Other candidates should pull out now and save their time. Sorry. But that’s what I’d do. And speak to some normal Hackney heads. They’ll tell u what it is like here. And its getting worse.
Corruption, cheating, bullying, nepotism, the destruction of careers and, of course, the inconsistent education and care of the children has been going on because of the big players in the LT for at least 5 years to my knowledge. TO/GB/HR and cronies like Michelle Thomas are a disgrace. I know nothing of GW but as so many others have commented in related stories here the LT needs to be investigated. Someone must have an idea how to start this. I wrote to ofsted years back, nothing was done. There are plenty of journalists/film makers etc in the borough. If responses on The Citizen site are anything to go by there would be a real story to tell. I could tell a few things about these nasty corrupt people wasting public money and shafting our kids and their teachers. I’d be very interested to know about the allegations of NUT links with TO.
@35 Grover – you are right. But the Fat Cats in HLT and Hackney Council – even the elected Councillors – do not want to hear. They hide behind the ‘glory’ of so-called ‘much improved’ test results. But we all know what happens to secure those results.
FOR THE GCSE RESULTS they take vast numbers of children off roll and place them in ALTERNATIVE PROVISION. A FOI on this issue would be good. There are 15 year old boys in the Hackney Boxing School – safe from league tables and any chance of securing the level of literacy and numeracy they will need for their future economic well-being. I have heard there are at least 20 ‘schools’ of this type in Hackney. No doubt that Alan Wood and Tricia Okoruwa have schemed well to get their OBEs… but at what cost?
And then the ‘improvement’ in Year 6 results, the Key Stage 2 SATS. How many of us have been forced to have HLT consultants working with ‘borderline’ children. In our school we had a maths consultant who came in a few days a week, inconsistently, and taught the ‘focus group’ the Year 4 curriculum for maths as she said it would get them over the threshold for the required standard. A few did make it – just. And I have always attributed that to the class teacher. The support from the HLT person was very random. In the end we knew we had to play along to avoid future retribution…. What a farce.
And the biggest joke of it all was that some of the kids not in the ‘focus group’ got level 4 anyway! Because of their class teacher. HLT had deemed them ‘too low’ to invest in.
The system is corrupt and they have no regard for children with difficulties of any kind. You can see that from the current plan to change proper teachers, who have expertise in special ed, to non-teachers… It is ridiculous.
It is all so immoral. ‘Every child will…’ and then it is actually a handful of children they focus on. Why? It links to their pay cheques. Pure and simple.
Why don’t these Councillors, many of whom will have been elected by parents and carers of children with SEN – why don’t they do something??? It really seems as if Rita Krishna is a puppet for Okoruwa’s latest misplaced craze.
@35 – You said, ‘I’d be very interested to know about the allegations of NUT links with TO.’
The facts are here for you.
[1] Mick Regan, the ex-NUT spokesperson who is currently voicing much of the anti Greg Wallace campaign – Mick Regan used to be a teacher at a school where the Headteacher was… GUESS… Tricia Okoruwa.
[2] Another loony spokesperson used by Hackney NUT is another ex-official. Mr Mark LUSHington. Well how does the link work here… not hard to find really… Mr LUSH used to work for Steve Belk (ex Director of HLT and now Executive Principal of the Best Start)… draw your own conclusions. I met Mr L when I was a teacher a few years into my career in Hackney. He invited me to his house to discuss the issues I had in school x. It was 4pm. He was roaring drunk. The only thing he seemed seriously interested in was whether I would have a drink too… in the end I did! There was no way out.
And then I found out that Mark’s wife, she’d come back, was an employee of HLT.
[3] The relationship between TO and the unions is currently strong in terms of the unprecedented hate campaign Okoruwa is running against Mr Greg Wallace.
But it is fragile too, like all Ms Okoruwa’s relationships. Yes – she has sought the unions out, called in favours… and a few people from unions have fallen for Okoruwa’s latest scam…
But the union rep I spoke to today said the whole thing with Greg Wallace had gone ‘off the scale… homophobic… witch hunt’
Okoruwa’s relationship with the unions will be sorely tested as she tries to make de-qualify staff who are proper teachers… and replace them with……
Someone unqualified… now who could that be… GILL BRADY???
The idea that town hall bosses are lining their pockets based on children’s test scores is truly abhorrent. Who makes these decisions?
Does anyone know if Sian Davies has daughter or relatives working in Hackney?
It’s shocking what this lot are doing to our schools. A staff member told me last week that they are trying to replace people with their own cronies. Watch what happens in the near future and I advice you to all stand up and fight for your rights.
This is so upsetting that we may indeed lose many of our wonderful staff. Why are we parents never asked what we want for our children?My one wish is continuity and not this constant change of staff. HLT please think about our children.
We are watching what will unfold and ready for a meeting with HLT. We will not accept this anymore . They just think they can do whatever suits them with our teachers. There is absolutely no way we are going to let this happen. I spoke with my child’s teacher and although he was very professional at giving nothing away, it was clear to me a lot is happening within our schools.
If we can join together as parents across the schools I think Hackney will have to listen. This atmosphere cannot go on. If greg wallace really had resigned it is high time we get to meet the so called replacement. ..
I am filled with anxiety when I read these comment boards. For the first time in my child’s life I can say we are all at a happy place with her progress. It’s all thanks to her wonderful teacher. He understands her needs and never makes a big issue out of a bad day she may have. If HLT cares so much about their students they too will take the time to make sure we keep these people. It’s just not right that we parents have to surffer this stress.
It seems that NUT failing teachers as well as parents by not adequately challenging the bullying behaviour of Tricia and co.
How can someone be NQT one year and than middle management next year, promoted over excellent, experienced BME teachers.
They do not care about equality. Look at who they have in the senior team: Tricia [white] sian [white] martin [white] gill [white] hilary [white] derek [white]…
It is who you know…
Perhaps that is why all the Executive HT are white also, promoting white teachers, white governors and (middle-class) white parents. They have the odd BME teacher but ones that are willing to toe the line!
They just don’t care about the well being of BME children.
Actually they don’t care about any children!
@46 – well said ” they don’t care about any children” what a mess our schools are in. Where do we start to try and put things right?
According to Jules Pipe the information on these blogs are assertions and no basis for investigating or questioning!
Why are NUT not speaking up more? Or UNISON?
@48
Jules needs to wake up but glad hes said that. When the train crash that is okoruwa finally happens pipe will look VERY silly
Jules is incorrect in saying that- we have gathered sufficient information outside of these comment boards to name and shame lots of senior staff at our schools. This is turn will call for a full investigation.
@mj – thanks so much – will mail you all tonight.
Surpise, surprise…… The cookie has finally crumbled for this bully who stepped on individuals whose only love was doing a job to the best of their ability. He who was held high initially by HLT until Mr W thought he was above the mighty wrath of the Learning Trust. Yes I am happy he has gone and I hope in turn he is feeling and beginning to understand how it feels to be treated like dirt, which is how he treated a lot of staff and parents who only wanted the best for the children in Hackney. Mr W (do not fool yourself people) did not do this out of his love for the well being of children, his was more of lining his pockets, getting into the limelight with his smarmy grin and heading towards what he thought would be his ultimate goal. So Mr Wallace… No OBE in the near future I hear you cry!! Yes the whole of HLT is a corrupt bunch of witch hunters, who prey on heads that they do not like and with one swoop demolish whole communities of schools with their lies and scheming ways! You only have to investigate what they really did to Morningside school, another victim of Ms O, Belk and the other cronie who is no longer in the trust. He is off to mess up another learning organisation. From what I gather , staff there were first of all tricked into fabricating lies to destroy that institution. Then most of them were bullied out as the brains of Britain replaced the head of Morningside with a woman who could not even run a lather in a pair of tights! Now enters another of HLT goldren children (Sian Davies) who actually needs to be reminded about how the mighty fall…. Yes I am elated that Mr Wallace has finally been ousted but I will say that whole place needs an overhaul!!
@82- you are of solid mind and have it right. Like you, am thrilled to bits Mr.W has gone.As a parent I never believed for one minute he cared about the children. However, we still have a few Heads that are carrying on what he instilled in them. Wipe the floor with parents and staff alike. Yes, I have said this before and am happy to see you mention it- the whole place needs an overhaul.
@52 I know many won’t agree with you on this one, but those are the sad facts you have outlined. The schools are also crumbling. The ones at the top only care about what’s in it for them. We need to go back to what a lot of parents and junior staff want, new leadership.
This is shocking at what goes on at our schools. How dare these people use our children for their personal gains. We need to sort and rid ourselves of a lot of the staff in higher positions.
Does Tricka O deserve to be paid for what she does? Her own track record in Hackney schools is lamentable – look at what she DID NOT achieve when Head at De Beauvoir, Burbage and others…
There is an open acknowledgement amongst MOST Heads that HLT results in an atmosphere in Hackney schools that is quite frankly poisonous. Of the worst kind. ie FATAL
HLT, as currently run, is not fit for purpose. It is interesting that quite senior sources are now saying that Hackney/Suffolk partnership is toast as Okoruwa and her chums have really alienated the people up there.
By all accounts I have heard, Tricka has tried to undermine some senior staff in Suffolk. Not by a mechanism of fair play – but the only mechanism the HLT SMT know – poisonous rumour.
Our bet is that for every new Head lulled into this vile environment another two will leave this summer.
If you have been to a recent TAG too – then you will know…
I hope that something is done to reinvigorate the borough of Hackney. But the answer is not the current HLT. It is worse than TLT.
@ 56 althought you may indeed be right on my points I feel our school needs looking into. We have a Head that makes a lot of staff absolutely miserable. I wished HLT would come and observe at this stage. Then again maybe she is one of them……
I just don’t understand why you all as a group can’t do something about what is indeed going on in your school.I mean honestly how many have left because of this and yet it continues . Stop complaining and get rid of her. I am a parent and I always give a voice to my concerns,if need be.
Which school are we talking about here?
When will we meet or even see mr belks?
It has now been weeks since were informed we would meet him. Apparently he is not coming to Christmas play which is very strange. I am getting to think belks is the invisible man and this is not useful in are situation. I have many questions I want answered and I want to know the answers now.
Well said 23, 25 and 52. I am so happy he has gone, now who is having the last laugh! Greg Wallace has been caught out and that is why he has resigned. All you supporters of Greg need to wise up and smell the coffee, he is finished.
He was a bully and a dictator and you simple cannot keep treating staff and parents in the manner he did and get away with it for ever. Karma is a ….., but it always catches up with you!LOL
@61is correct in saying” you simple cannot keep treating staff and parents in this manner” but how do you stop it.? @58 I am confused has your Head not gone ( for now) or is that not the school you are talking about?
Reading these comment I see not much has changed in these schools. @60 made me smile with the invisible man. What on earth is that all about not coming to the Christmas play? My hear aches for these poor children. Do they not get it, these children are the future.
Has to be the D that causes so much grief and misery?????
Anyone know how burbage got on with their ofsted?
Hackney learnings trust must have done them proud.
Reading this comment board has made me reflect on our schools as a whole. Manners seem to be forgotten or maybe never learned .How can children learn if this is how our leaders are? I care more about the people they become than how they do academically. Shame on those people that belittle, degrade and make junior staff lives difficult. I am shocked to think they get away with it. One day it will come back to haunt them. Have we not seen this?
I am so glad my child attends woodberry down. I wish this episode had not been managed so badly for all concerned. Children dp not seem to feature on Hackney s list. .. outrageous. ..
The freedom of information request is back:
It shows that HLT HR have employed a TEMPORARY member of staff for 3 years
It shows that HLT HR since going back to the Trust have recruited 5 members of staff – all of which are female – 100% of staff recruited are female!
There have been 80 compromise agreements (gagging orders) since 2006! This will involve big payments.
A TEMPORARY staff member has worked at the Trust for 4 years!!!
HLT employ approx 1500 temps per year!!
HLT IT Department have had 10 apprentices working for them! Cheap labour!!
Since October 2011 when the law changed allowing temporary staff to apply for internal positions 6 temps have changed to permanent roles! This is a loophole in the law that allows HLT to recruit who they want as a temp (it could even be a friend) and then advertise that position internally knowing full well that there wont be any other sufficently expereinced internal candidates. Shocking!
The top 5 earning members of staff have had between (and including) 1 and 5 relatives workign there.
Tricia Okurawa – 2 sons
Alan Wood – son and daughter
Steve Belk – wife
Some of the answers aren’t accurate – I will follow that up with them.
@68 – thanks for that information. I had noticed that they were all female and when I pointed it out I was called sexiest. You just can’t win., but still am happy you pointed it out.@59 that has to be Mandaville. Staff come and go like no other school. @67 – think you got the best deal at Woodberry Down.
@68 am shocked at what they get away with.
Many thanks for this info. It has been widely shared b4 but what a total farce it is to see it here again and now backed up by FOI. Mr Belks wedding must have been quite an affair with him giving jobs to the wife and Martin Buck who was his best man…
What a total farce it is. Words can’t really get to the bottom of this scandal with the HLT.
Next we will find out that Gillian Brady is proved to under-qualified for her job! Can you do FOI on that please Franky? SOMEONE!
I am counting the days till we can get 2 weeks peace from the constant harassment and bullying served up to any Head who does not toe the Okoruwa line. It is so so unhealthy…… and why does nobody listen to us?
Comments are now closed. – Ed.