Maureen Brennan
Encyclopedia
Dame Maureen Brennan is headteacher at Barr Beacon Language College
in Walsall
, West Midlands. She took over leadership of this school in Easter 2007 after spending several years as the Principal of Hillcrest School and Community College
in Netherton, West Midlands
. Before this time she spent a significant time at Great Barr School
in Great Barr
, Birmingham
as a senior member of staff under Brian Sherratt
.
She let it be known that Hillcrest School had "no structures, systems or routines" when she took over in September 2002. In 2002 the school came out of special measures. By the beginning of 2003, Ofsted inspectors described it as "one of the most outstanding schools in the country". One of her recipes for changing that was the introduction of a "house system and a prefectorial system". She introduced formal routines such as pupils standing up when someone walks into the classroom; she also got rid of the bells that sounded the end of each lesson. Other measures included a sin bin or exclusion room (dubbed the "doom room" by the pupils) where misbehaving pupils could go for a period of isolation from their peers.
"Dame Named in Fraud Probe", Dudley News, 12 December 2007
Dudley Council's investigations have now ended and the case has been passed to the West Midlands police Economic Crime Team. Brennan was identified in the Dudley report for leading a team of senior managers who EWS investigators claim manipulated registers to make the school look more successful than it was. In their interim report, EWS (Educational Welfare Service) officers allege the records created a false impression of improved attendance which promoted the school's image and resulted in higher pupil numbers. It is believed none of Brennan's senior management team remained at the school after she left last year.
Barr Beacon Language College
Barr Beacon Language College is a mixed secondary school in Pheasey, Walsall, England. It takes its name from the adjacent hill, Barr Beacon. The school has been a specialist Language College since September 2003 and has a sixth form of approximately 180 pupils....
in Walsall
Walsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
, West Midlands. She took over leadership of this school in Easter 2007 after spending several years as the Principal of Hillcrest School and Community College
The Hillcrest School
The Hillcrest School and Community College is a secondary school located in Netherton, near Dudley, England.The school was opened in about 1960 as one of two new secondary schools built in the expanding town. The other was Saltwells Secondary School. Both of these schools replaced a smaller...
in Netherton, West Midlands
Netherton, West Midlands
Netherton is a town in the West Midlands within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. It lies around south of the town of Dudley and north of Cradley Heath...
. Before this time she spent a significant time at Great Barr School
Great Barr School
Great Barr School is a co-educational secondary school on Aldridge Road in Great Barr, Birmingham, England for pupils aged 11 to 19. The school is usually the next level for children who attended Great Barr Primary School on the same area site.-History:...
in Great Barr
Great Barr
Great Barr is a large and loosely-defined area which straddles the boundaries of Birmingham, West Bromwich and Walsall , West Midlands, England...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
as a senior member of staff under Brian Sherratt
Brian Sherratt
Dr. Brian Sherratt OBE JP FIMgt FRSA was Headmaster of Great Barr School a secondary school on Aldridge Road in Great Barr, Birmingham, England for children aged 11 to 19...
.
She let it be known that Hillcrest School had "no structures, systems or routines" when she took over in September 2002. In 2002 the school came out of special measures. By the beginning of 2003, Ofsted inspectors described it as "one of the most outstanding schools in the country". One of her recipes for changing that was the introduction of a "house system and a prefectorial system". She introduced formal routines such as pupils standing up when someone walks into the classroom; she also got rid of the bells that sounded the end of each lesson. Other measures included a sin bin or exclusion room (dubbed the "doom room" by the pupils) where misbehaving pupils could go for a period of isolation from their peers.
Reports of fraud
On Wednesday 12 December 2007 it was reported that Brennan and her recent senior management team was under investigation for fraudulent reporting of attendance figures during the time that she was headteacher."Dame Named in Fraud Probe", Dudley News, 12 December 2007
Dudley Council's investigations have now ended and the case has been passed to the West Midlands police Economic Crime Team. Brennan was identified in the Dudley report for leading a team of senior managers who EWS investigators claim manipulated registers to make the school look more successful than it was. In their interim report, EWS (Educational Welfare Service) officers allege the records created a false impression of improved attendance which promoted the school's image and resulted in higher pupil numbers. It is believed none of Brennan's senior management team remained at the school after she left last year.