A JUNIOR school headteacher who took voluntary leave a year ago while complaints made about him were investigated will not return to work at the school.

A JUNIOR school headteacher who took voluntary leave a year ago while complaints made about him were investigated will not return to work at the school.

Paul Powell was headteacher at Loddon Junior School until he offered to take a period of extended leave last June while Norfolk County Council looked into a complaint made about him and other concerns which had been raised about the school.

Now a letter has been sent to parents saying that the popular headteacher will not be coming back to the school.

At the end of June last year, more than 50 parents signed a petition calling for Mr Powell to be brought back to the school and complaining that they had not been given enough information about the concerns raised by the school's governors. Children at the school also started a petition in support of their headteacher.

By the start of the new term in September last year, the board of governors and county council had finished their investigations and Mr Powell returned.

But by the end of the month, ill health had caused him to leave work again and he never returned. Beverley Hall was brought in as a temporary acting headteacher and is still in charge at the school.

Mr Powell proved popular with the children and was credited with helping to improve the school after he took over in September 2006 at the end of a difficult period for the school, which had had four headteachers in two years and just changed from a middle to a junior school.

A joint statement released this week on behalf of the county council and the school's governors said: “Paul Powell has taken the decision to end his employment with Loddon Junior School with immediate effect. Through discussion, it was agreed to be in the mutual interests of Mr Powell and the school for the employment arrangement to be brought to a close.

“The governing body wishes Mr Powell well for the future. It will be important to ensure that the good work undertaken by all staff in recent months, providing sustained high quality teaching and learning for pupils, continues.

“Beverley Hall will continue to provide stability and strong leadership, as acting headteacher, until a permanent appointment is made and the governors will have their discussions about the recruitment exercise in the near future.”