The consultant headteacher drafted in to help manage JFS has written to ease parental concerns over the unexplained absence of head teacher Jonathan Miller.

Debby Lipkin assured parents at the start of the new term today of the “profound and personal commitment” to the school of its current leadership team.

Parents were informed during the holidays that Mr Miller would be taking leave of absence and that Mrs Lipkin and acting head Simon Appleman would take charge.

Mrs Lipkin, once a JFS pupil herself, joined the school as an external consultant in the middle of last term to help implement improvements.

“I have many years of experience in this area,” she wrote, “and have taken on interim headteacher posts at schools which have successfully negotiated challenges or ongoing change.”

An open meeting for parents would be held shortly, she said.

She looked forward “to meeting as many parents as possible over the coming weeks, whether at the upcoming Year 11 departure celebrations, parental meetings or awards ceremonies later in the term”.

Two years ago JFS received a critical inspection report, downgrading it from an outstanding school to one requiring improvement.