TWO headteachers at the centre of a secret inquiry at a Huddersfield school have quit.

The pair – Mary Nixon and Liam Harron – were suspended eight months ago from All Saints Catholic College on full pay but have now resigned.

Their shock resignations, confirmed last night by Kirklees Council, follow months of speculation and rumour surrounding the pair’s tenure of the lead roles at the Bradley Bar school.

The inquiry into allegations about their headship has been completed.

The council have confirmed that the people who made the original complaints are happy with the outcome.

The couple, who hit the national headlines in 2004 when they were appointed joint headteachers of the 800-pupil humanities college, were suspended in July last year, following complaints from unions and official bodies.

In two statements released yesterday, Kirklees Council said an enquiry has taken place and Miss Nixon had decided that she did not wish to continue as joint headteacher.

She also wished to allow All Saints to make a fresh start.

She had offered her resignation and it has been accepted and her employment was terminated with effect from February 11 this year.

Mr Harron had offered his resignation to governors, it had been accepted and his employment was terminated with effect from January 9 this year.

The statements said Mary Nixon had served the community of All Saints with loyalty, dedication and commitment for 33 years.

“I was always proud to be associated with All Saints and will continue to be so,” she said.

The Diocese of Leeds, which is responsible for the Catholic College, said it acknowledged the dedicated service to education that Miss Nixon has made over 33 years and wished her well in the future.

A Mass will be celebrated with a special blessing to mark the occasion of her leaving.

John Fowler, headteacher of Shelley College, was appointed Executive Head Teacher following the suspensions of the pair and will continue his role.

The Examiner has made repeated requests to Kirklees Council, the school itself and its governing body over the past eight months, asking for information about how the inquiry into Liam Harron and Mary Nixon is progressing.

Very little information has been made available despite the requests.

Several parents, councillors and unions have expressed concerns about the suspensions and about the effects on the school.

Miss Nixon and Mr Harron were both on full pay following the suspension, a standard procedure.

They were suspended because of concerns raised by two professional associations and one trade union.

The Leeds Diocese partly pays for the school and about half the teachers and support staff are baptised Catholics.

The last set of results from the college saw the number of students achieving at least five GCSE grade A* to C rise to 70%, up 20% on last year.

Two months ago, a proposal to close All Saints was revealed.

It was one of three options being discussed in a major debate about the future of education in Kirklees and in Calderdale.

Officials from the Diocese of Leeds are liaising with officials from both Kirklees and Calderdale Councils over plans for the future of the Bradley school.

One idea is that All Saints should close and merge with St Catherine’s Catholic High School, Halifax, on a new site in Rastrick.

A second proposal is that All Saints could be subjected to a new-build project in partnership with Kirklees Council and widen its catchment area, though still remaining under the auspices of the Diocese of Leeds.

The third proposal is to rebuild St Catherine’s School, leaving All Saints as it is now.

The issue is expected to come up for debate in the coming months as both councils finalise sweeping plans for the future of education.