THE reason behind the suspensions of Nardeep Sharma and Catherine Hutley remain a mystery... even to them.

The Thrive Partnership Academy Trust, which took the measure, has refused to expand on its statement which said the suspension “is a neutral act and enables the trust to carry out further work to establish the facts of the situation”.

Mr Sharma, the chief executive of the trust, was suspended on March 22.

Catherine Hutley, executive head, was also suspended.

The trust runs Colne Community School and College, Brightlingsea, and Philip Morant School and College, Colchester.

A teacher at Philip Morant School, who the Gazette agreed not to name, said neither Mr Sharma or Miss Hutley knew why they had been suspended.

He said: “Generally speaking, staff at Philip Morant are very supportive of Miss Hutley, the principal. We have no information and don’t really know what’s going on.

“We were surprised it was publicised quite so widely, most suspensions are normally kept confidential.

“Some are concerned about what’s going to happen and even if she is exonerated it is going to be difficult for her to come back to the school.”

But the teacher said the situation should not impact pupils about to sit important GCSE exams.

He said: “A school reaches this point of the year and the teachers are all geared up ready for what they have got to do.

“I really don’t think it will have a major negative impact on the children at the moment.

“I just hope it can be sorted out as soon as possible.”

Frank Pomroy, trust chairman of governors for the Thrive Partnership Academy Trust, said he knew the reasons for the suspensions but could not provide any more information about it.

He said: “We really don’t know how long it is going to take, it will take time and we can only take it as it comes.”

Lyn Barton, councillor for Shrub End ward in Colchester (Lib Dem), taught English at Philip Morant School for 18 years before retiring and said several parents had contacted her concerned they did not know what was happening while Ms Hutley was suspended.

She said: “I don’t think the school would be in this position if it was under the local authority.

“I am quite distressed to find it in this position. It might have a detrimental effect on the pupils.

“They have got very dedicated, hard working staff but if they are going to make strategic decisions they have got to have a leadership team in place and I don’t know when that is going to happen.”

Colne School staff and parents have not been told any more either.

Teaching staff were told of the suspensions during briefings last Friday morning.

Under the suspension process, Mr Sharma and Ms Hutley will have had their work laptops and keys removed and told not to make any contact with colleagues.

Colne School has been headed up by Daniel Fox on a day-to-day basis for some months while Colin Green and Michele Myers are running Philip Morant in Ms Hutley’s absence.

Sally Anderson-Wai, whose son is in year nine at the Colne school, said: “I have always found Mr Sharma very helpful but it is a shame he has been suspended, but I have been told it is something to do with the finances.”

Colchester MP Will Quince visited Philip Morant to try to address concerns on Thursday.

He met Mr Green, trust governor Suzanne Farrell and trustee Neil Jones.

He said: “I don’t know any more about the allegations or investigation and that wasn’t why I was going.

“The main reason was I wanted reassurance the school was still functioning in the way you hope it would and pupils are still getting the education they rightly deserve, especially in the run up to exams.

“There has also been a step change in attitudes in relation to engaging with the parents and wider community.”

Last week he claimed when he has contacted the schools and trust in the past, he had received a response which was “being frank, the worst response I have received from anyone in three years as an MP”.

Mr Quince added: “I am assured the focus is on the pupils.

“I did a walk around of the school and I did feel like it is business as usual.

“The education of children is still the number one priority.”

Mr Quince will revisit the school on April 20.