Primary school 'superhead' in IT contract probe quits

A “superhead” in charge of five Hackney primary schools has stepped down before the publication of a report into the awarding of lucrative IT contracts to his boyfriend’s company.

Greg Wallace, who has been hailed as “magnificent” by Education Secretary Michael Gove, today said he felt “very proud” of his work, as he announced his resignation.

He was suspended in July after Hackney council launched an investigation into IT contracts supplied by C2 Technology, a firm headed by Tony Zangoura, Mr Wallace’s boyfriend.

The governors of the federation that runs the five schools — who include Henry de Zoete, one of Mr Gove’s special advisers — also had some powers suspended.

In a statement today, Mr Wallace said: “I leave feeling very proud of what we all did to transform the educational experience in these schools.

“Along the way I have met many amazing people. I was overwhelmed by the support that they showed for me and sincerely thank them for that.

“I hope that, under the new leadership from Hackney council, the three schools already judged as outstanding retain that status and the other two attain it as quickly as possible.”

A Hackney spokesman said the investigation was ongoing.

Mr Wallace started as a head at Woodberry Down in Hackney in 2001 and was deemed so successful he was drafted in to turn around four more schools, becoming executive head of the Best Start Federation.

The IT contract was awarded in 2009. Mr de Zoete joined the governors last year.

A statement on the Best Start Federation website, put up before Mr Wallace’s resignation, said he had always been open about his connection with C2 Technology and “the contract was judged on its value and its quality”.

Mr Wallace said today: “Being headteacher at Woodberry Down was the hardest thing I ever did, but also the best. The Best Start Federation made a huge impact. We transformed schools that had been left to fail for years.”