Mystery as Nonsuch High School head takes 'indefinite special leave'

11:20am Monday 16th April 2012 in News By Matt Watts

Karin Rowsell left Nonsuch High School more than two weeks ago Karin Rowsell left Nonsuch High School more than two weeks ago

Mystery surrounds the headteacher of Nonsuch High School's absence from the academy on "indefinite special leave".

Karin Rowsell has been on the leave for more than two weeks, since shortly before the school Easter holidays started.

Deputy headteacher Tracey Hartley refused to comment on whether Mrs Rowsell's absence was for personal or professional reasons.

She said the school would not be making any comment at this point on the absence.

She said the school would be communicating with parents "accordingly" about what had happened.

The school's board of Governors, that oversees the running of the school, is also not commenting on Mrs Rowsell's absence.

Mrs Rowsell has been head of the school since September 2009.

The school, one of the top performing state-funded schools in the country, became an academy in September last year.

Pupils and staff returned to the school from the Easter break this morning.

Do you know more? Contact the newsdesk on 0208 722 6359 or email mwatts@london.newsquest.co.uk.

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Comments(20)

Michael Pantlin says...
2:52pm Mon 16 Apr 12

Sounds like the mystery of the woman CEO before last of St. Helier Hospital. No one could find out why she left so suddenly. When public money provides wages we should be told.

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Docs22 says...
7:33pm Mon 16 Apr 12

I'm surprised that parents have to find out about the Headteachers absence by reading about it in the local paper. Is this indefinite absence on full pay?

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Likkle says...
7:41pm Mon 16 Apr 12

Is it actually anyones business as to why she has disappeared?

She may have had a death in the famiy for all we know, yet someone has felt the need to put it in the local paper.

Cant people have any privacy anymore??!!

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lilacgeorge says...
6:46am Tue 17 Apr 12

I agree, why is it anyone else's business? As long as the school or more importantly the children don't suffer leave this women alone, she clearly has reason's for not being there and the fact nothing is being said indicates that it is a private decision whether it be for personal, health, family or any other reason - i.e. keep your blooming noses out! She will no doubt tell the people that NEED to know when she feels ready!

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Liz2076 says...
8:19am Tue 17 Apr 12

At present is this really anybodies business, providing her roll is being adequately covered. it's between herself and her employers.

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Smudger says...
8:46am Tue 17 Apr 12

Perhaps Michael Pantlin believes that we have a right to look at her holiday snaps as well? Or read her medical records? This is the old 'we pay your wages' argument, isn't it? Very distasteful.

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theavengers says...
9:10am Tue 17 Apr 12

This could be for any reason and no one should be sticking their noses in as this is a personal matter for the school to deal with. It may very well have no sinister reasons whatsoever (people get ill, families have troubles, etc) and to paint it in that way is wrong. Not sure why this is in the paper and not just a school matter. Nonsuch is the best and she obviously, along with all the staff, has helped keep its reputation in high regard. My headteacher left in the middle of the year (many moons ago when I was in school) and it was because she lost her baby. Now would that have been appropriate to attack her for leaving and returning a year later? Sensitivity should kick in and privacy. People go on leave for a number of reasons in all sorts of jobs, doesn't make them bad people. These days everyone wants to stick their noses into everyones lives. Jeezzeus!

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Krissi says...
11:49am Tue 17 Apr 12

let the lady tell us if and when she is ready it's no good speculating or anything else, because the only person who knows why is her

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dmw-10 says...
2:10am Wed 18 Apr 12

Give the woman a break. Reasons for taking leave are endless. Are we to expect "major headlines" next week informing us of the reason why the head teacher has been away for a couple of weeks? This newspaper really is becoming a joke! If there's no news to report so be it, stop digging in ridiculous areas to find something to print for the sake of having a thick newspaper.

On another note, every week I see this newspaper full of typing errors, incorrect grammar and to be blunt, total rubbish!

I can type and proofread and am currently looking for work so if the people at the Guardian HQ cannot do their jobs properly, move over and let someone who does want to work for their money have a chance!

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Angela M says...
11:35am Wed 18 Apr 12

Surely if there was some personal tragedy involved in this case, the school would have stated 'personal reasons' to protect Mrs Rowsell's privacy and stop the prying. They haven't done that, so this was likely the result of something else that can't be announced just yet. As a former pupil of Mrs Rowsell, I would be very interested to hear about the outcome.

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Likkle says...
11:36am Wed 18 Apr 12

Matt Watts - Just for your interest, my mum who works at a local Surgery will be taking some time off in the next few weeks, due to a holiday. You may want to print that just incase you think she has been struck off by the medical council.

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Docs22 says...
4:34pm Wed 18 Apr 12

I've heard that Mrs Rowsell will not be returning to Nonsuch and recruitment of a new Headteacher will begin shortly.

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digital camel says...
7:24pm Wed 18 Apr 12

Likkle wrote:
Is it actually anyones business as to why she has disappeared?

She may have had a death in the famiy for all we know, yet someone has felt the need to put it in the local paper.

Cant people have any privacy anymore??!!
As a parent of a Nonsuch pupil I do not expect to find out about the Head's sudden departure via an internet news article. Is it anyone's business? Actually, yes. The Head Teacher and Governing Body are responsible for an annual expenditure in excess of £5 million pounds of public money and the education and welfare of some 1200 children. Public scrutiny and transparency is not only inevitable but necessary. A personal loss or illness are easily explained as such, without the need to go into any invasive detail whatsoever. This leaves, presumably, "professional" reasons which can have far greater latent repercussions on teaching and learning at the School. We have a Governing Body that fails to inform parents for weeks. At what point is all this meant to give me confidence in what the Governing Body has (or rather, has not) said, let alone done? As a parent, Chair of Governors, and professional governance clerk myself, it doesn't. Does this Academy consider parental and public accountability so inconsequential?

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labyrinth says...
10:48am Thu 19 Apr 12

It is absolutely our right to know - and parents should not have to find out via a website!

Nonsuch takes a huge amount from the community, including depriving local girls of places so that heavily tutored ones can be driven in from all over.It treats residents with contempt.

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Surreydon says...
7:05pm Thu 19 Apr 12

Michael Pantlin wrote:
Sounds like the mystery of the woman CEO before last of St. Helier Hospital. No one could find out why she left so suddenly. When public money provides wages we should be told.
Absolutely!

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Giles C says...
10:38pm Thu 19 Apr 12

Remember the Overton Grange fiasco when the head was given a massive payoff just so the governing body could save face?
Hope this hasn't happened here.
Also hearing anotherbSutton grammar school has lost its head!
Oops to lose 1 can be an accident but 2!!!

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Smudger says...
11:36pm Thu 19 Apr 12

Surreydon wrote:
Michael Pantlin wrote:
Sounds like the mystery of the woman CEO before last of St. Helier Hospital. No one could find out why she left so suddenly. When public money provides wages we should be told.
Absolutely!
Yup. And I assume that you'd be happy for your own private details to be made public? After all in some way the public pays everybody's wages (and of course public sector workers pay taxes, so by your logic they pay their own wages). You'd be happy for that, yes?

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Giles C says...
9:06am Fri 20 Apr 12

Smudger wrote:
Surreydon wrote:
Michael Pantlin wrote:
Sounds like the mystery of the woman CEO before last of St. Helier Hospital. No one could find out why she left so suddenly. When public money provides wages we should be told.
Absolutely!
Yup. And I assume that you'd be happy for your own private details to be made public? After all in some way the public pays everybody's wages (and of course public sector workers pay taxes, so by your logic they pay their own wages). You'd be happy for that, yes?
Smudger...yes i would if i were at the level of the St Helier CEO or a highly paid head. These are people in positions of responsibility and the pay they get reflects this so it is only right that the taxpayers are allowed to know what their renumeration is. I am not advocating this lower down the scale.

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Smudger says...
2:50pm Fri 20 Apr 12

So if you get paid more you are expected to take more intrusion into your PRIVATE life? What an interesting moral position. Though I'm using the word 'moral' very loosely.

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Surreydon says...
9:29pm Fri 20 Apr 12

What is the matter with you people, it's not a flaming witch hunt! No-one is demanding every intimate detail of Mrs Rowsell's private life, or her current predicament.
Surely asking for a reasonable explanation isn't too much to ask, is it?
Regarding the 'remuneration' issue, of course taxpayers have the right to know how much these people earn. Reckon it would shock a few folk!

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