HEAD- HUNTED
Star performer poached from Ayr schools
Kyle and Ayr Academies are each to have their own head teacher again.
The move has been rubber- stamped after the unexpected resignation of joint headmistress Lyndsay McRoberts.
She quits in February to head up Duncanrig Secondary in East Kilbride, for an expected £ 86,000 wage.
Now two posts have been advertised to fill her role.
The new head at 800- pupil Kyle will receive £ 67,638, and 400- pupil Ayr Academy £ 65,148.
Both schools have been sharing Mrs McRoberts as a boss since last November.
The move sparked anger among parents at Kyle who claimed the respected head was being spread too thin.
And council bosses were also forced to deny an impending merger between both schools was on the cards.
Now the head’s early departure has forced the hand of officials, who have agreed to sanction two new posts instead of one.
Praising the “exceptional work” of Mrs McRoberts across both schools, a paper submitted to councillors has called time up on the shared post.
It reads: “It is her view ( Mrs McRoberts) and that of the Directorate that it is in the best interest of both schools that each of the two schools now makes a permanent head teacher appointment.”
It states that such a move would provide “greater leadership capacity”.
And it adds: “The parents in Ayr Academy acknowledge the significant improvement made during the shared headship pilot and recognise this has been achieved through the knowledge and experience of the current post holder.
“They have, however, indicated to the current shared head teacher that it would be their preference for a new head teacher to be appointed to Ayr Academy.”
Ayr North councillor, Ian Cavana, said: “It’s a big disappointment to be losing someone as talented as Lyndsay McRoberts.
“She’s delivered some of Kyle’s best ever results and made a huge difference since going into Ayr. Therefore I’m very pleased to see both schools getting new head teachers. It is undoubtedly the right decision.”