The government has sacked two interim governors of a troubled high school following a row with the academy trust that ministers want to take it over, the EDP understands.
John Catton, chairman of the interim executive board (IEB) which replaced the Great Yarmouth High's governing body in January, has now himself been removed, along with fellow IEB member, Heather Tew.
The third member, Sue Smith, from Norfolk County Council, remains in place.
In a letter sent to staff on August 31, the two departing IEB members said: 'On Sunday, August 28, John Catton received a telephone call in which he learned that the Department for Education (DfE) has directed Norfolk County Council to change the membership of the IEB, removing us from the board.'
The council confirmed that the direction came from from the DfE.
The EDP understands that, over the summer, the IEB had a disagreement with the Inspiration Trust (IT), which the government has named as its preferred sponsor of the high school, although an IT spokesman said he did not think there had been a falling out.
In their letter, Mr Catton and Ms Tew said they had 'always favoured a joined up approach with IT', but, despite 'highly flexible' diaries, they were unable to meet IT over the summer to discuss their request for an additional IT member to take forwarded their shared approach.
An IT spokesman said it had offered a telephone conference.
Great Yarmouth High had originally planned to join the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust, but in March it emerged the DfE had blocked this, and it later named IT as its preferred sponsor.
The Inspiration Trust controversially took over the Hewett School in Norwich last year, and the EDP understands the new members of Great Yarmouth High's IEB include Jonathan Taylor and Louise Soden, both of whom the government appointed to the IEB that oversaw the Hewett's academisation.
The Inspiration Trust confirmed that its chief executive, Dame Rachel de Souza, has also been asked to join Great Yarmouth High's IEB.
IT's spokesman, James Goffin, said: 'We are delighted Louise Jackson is taking up post as headteacher and we are giving her all the support and assistance she needs to get on with the big job of transforming the school.
'In that, we support the decision to refresh the caretaker IEB at this time to help ensure Louise can make a truly fresh start.
'Progress on becoming an academy has been held up by technical discussions with the Great Yarmouth Grammar School Foundation, which controls the site. We don't think these should be allowed to hold back pupil's progress, and we hope to reach a positive solution soon.'
Do you have an education story? Email martin.george@archant.co.uk
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