Former CoMart Head Joins School Catchment Debate in Brighton
Jill Clough supports efforts to improve education for children in Whitehawk
Brighton, Whitehawk, CoMart, Education, Jill Clough, Curtis James
Brighton: A former head teacher is speaking out for better education. Jill Clough wants to help children from Whitehawk get a fair chance in school.
She praised Curtis James and the Class Divide campaign for their efforts. They are working hard to address the issues facing local kids.
Dr. Clough used to run an exclusive independent school. In 2001, she took over East Brighton College of Media Arts, known as CoMart.
She turned the school around quickly, getting it out of “special measures” in just a year. However, she left in 2003 after facing challenges.
Before her arrival, Ofsted had rated the school as inadequate. Sadly, CoMart closed in 2005 due to financial troubles and declining enrollment.
The school had a long history, starting as Stanley Deason High School in 1972. It later became Marina High before rebranding as CoMart.
Dr. Clough now lives in Cumbria and has become an author. She expressed disappointment over the ongoing issues in Brighton’s education system.
She felt that the local attitudes towards schools like CoMart were unfair. Despite her success, she faced criticism from other head teachers.
Dr. Clough noted that students at CoMart often felt the same way. Together, they managed to improve the school, but recognition was lacking.
She remains grateful for the support from her union during her time there. Dr. Clough commended Curtis James for his dedication to fighting educational injustice.