NINE simple words posted on its website – ‘a sad but fond farewell to a great leader’- is the only recognition of Maureen Strudwick’s achievements at Thomas Clarkson Community College, Wisbech.

She may have been shortlisted for the principal’s role as the school moves to academy status but when she failed to persuade Thomas Clarkson’s new bosses she was worth the top job then her departure was inevitable.

College governors expect some form of proper farewell party later but for now Ms Strudwick, who stepped up to the post in 2009, has gone.

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesman said: “It is expected that the final transfer to the Brooke Weston Academy Trust will take place during the summer term.

“Governors will also take part in the process to appoint a new principal to succeed Maureen Strudwick, who left the college at the end of last term.”

That may be more problematic than it sounds for the first attempt to find a replacement for Ms Strudwick ended in failure last term even though the college had identified its preferred candidate.

For now the school is being run by an executive team from Brooke Weston even though “technical problems” are blamed for a delayed official hand over, now expected to be autumn.

Sylvia Richardson, vice-chairman of governors, said: “It did not prove possible to complete a number of technical issues and so the final formal transfer to the Brooke Weston Trust has been delayed.

“This delay will enable clarification on a small range of matters remaining and enable governors to participate in the appointment of a new principal.”

Meanwhile parents and carers of the school’s 1,300 or so pupils are being introduced to a new student uniform which Brooke Weston will introduce in September.

Andrew Campbell, deputy executive principal, explained that Brooke Weston will meet the full cost of a basic uniform and sports kit for all students in Years 7 to 11.