A BLANKET of silence surrounded the shock suspension of Ludlow College’s principal this week.
Principal Chris Conoley, who joined Ludlow College in April 2008, was suspended on Monday, March 8.
Jonathan Davis has now taken on the role of acting principal.
The Journal was tipped off by an unnamed source on Tuesday about the shock events.
Spokesperson for Ludlow College Melissa Critchley told the Journal: “On Monday, March 8, the principal of Ludlow College, Chris Conoley, was suspended from his post to enable an investigation to take place in response to a number of complaints and concerns received by the governing body.”
Ms Critchley said the suspension was “holding measure” and “a neutral act.”
She added the investigation would be carried out by an independent, external person to ensure it would be “full and thorough.”
Life at the college would carry on as normal for the hundreds of students.
She continued: “Temporary management arrangements have been put in place to ensure the continuation of business across the college and that learning and students are not affected.” Dr Ewart Carson, who is the chairman of Ludlow College governors, said the statement from the college reflected the view of the governors and he refused to comment further.
Kerry Barry, from the Learning and Skills Council, also refused to comment, saying it was up to Ludlow College to put out a statement.
Mr Conoley took over from former principal Ann Brown, who retired after 10 years at Ludlow College.
Mr Conoley came to Ludlow after working as director of the North Bristol Post 16 Centre, leading a 600 student college in Bristol’s city centre.
He has has written numerous A level and GCSE textbooks.
He studied at Hull University and returned to Hull in the 1980s to set up a Science and Computing Faculty at Wilberforce College.
He moved to Newcastle- upon-Tyne, as an Assistant Headteacher at Gosforth High School.
Here he more than doubled the size of the school’s sixth form to 550 students.
Mr Conoley said back in 2008 when he took over the role of principal at Ludlow: “I am delighted to be leading the college into the future.
“It has an outstanding record of academic success and a place at the heart of Ludlow, which is to be cherished.”