Immanuel College loses new head

Joanna Ebner, the prospective headteacher of Immanuel College in Bushey, who was due to arrive in September, has withdrawn from the job for personal reasons.

In a letter to parents, Immanuel’s chairman of governors, Daniel Levy, said it was “with enormous sadness” that he was informing them she “was no longer able to take up the position”.

He described her as an “outstanding educationalist with over 16 years experience as a head and who is deeply engaged with the Jewish community”.

The fee-paying school is currently led by interim head Michael Buchanan, who came in January this year following the retirement of Gary Griffin.

Mr Levy said governors had begun “exploring with care and diligence a number of avenues in order to appoint an interim and subsequently a permanent head who will be able to build on Immanuel’s proud history and successes and lead us into the next chapter of our academic and spiritual growth.”