A Brighton school said thank you and farewell to Labour MP for Hove, Peter Kyle, as he stepped down as chair of governors yesterday morning (Wednesday 12th July).
Mr Kyle has chaired the board of governors at Brighton school, Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA), for the past seven years, since the school opened.
He handed his position over to his deputy, Jim May, at an assembly where he received heavy praise and applause. Mr May previously served as a Brighton councillor and a NHS trust board director.
At the assembly, Mr Kyle told BACA students: “I am so proud of you. No one has more ambition for young people than young people themselves.” He also praised the school’s work saying, “At BACA you have a school that shares and celebrates that ambition and a team that strives every day to make it a reality.”
Mr Kyle was recently re-elected in his Hove constituency at the general election, even increasing his majority by a strong amount.
Despite his need to pass on his duties, he told the school: “Even though I’ve stepped down as chair of trustees my commitment to this school is undimmed.”
Regardless of Mr Kyle’s departure from the board, it looks like the school will be in safe hands with Mr May having served as governor for six years previously. In regards to his new position he told the school: “I am very proud to be appointed chair of governors at BACA and look forward to seeing the academy progress in the future.”
Mr May, a local Brightonian, continued to praise Mr Kyle and his work: “At this time I would like to pay tribute to Peter Kyle who was an excellent and committed chair while fulfilling other public duties.”
In 2016 BACA received their best GCSE results yet, as well as being rated good in all categories by Ofsted.
Come September, BACA will begin their partnership with British and Irish Modern Music Institute (BIMM). At the same time the first students are expected to start their performing arts courses on the institutes Falmer campus, thanks to BACA’s partnership with the Brighton Institute of Contemporary Theatre Training (BRICTT).
