School head faces sack over '£1.6m bonuses'

A LEADING London headteacher and three of his senior staff face the sack over an alleged £1.6 million bonus scandal.

Sir Alan Davies, headteacher of Copland Community College in Wembley, has been suspended since May over claims he oversaw a culture of nepotism and took more than £600,000 in "unlawful and irrational" payments as classrooms crumbled at the 1,900-pupil school. At least nine other senior staff and Sir Alan's caretaker son are thought to have received payments.

After a four-month inquiry, Brent council auditors said today they found evidence of "gross financial mismanagement". The school's interim board will begin disciplinary action against Sir Alan, his deputy Dr Richard Evans, bursar Columbus Udokoro and HR manager Michelle Bishop. The report's details will be kept secret because they include data protected information.

Its initial findings, leaked to the Standard in May, suggested Sir Alan received unlawful bonuses and other payments of £631,500 on top of his £103,000 salary. Extra payments to staff totalled £1,565,700.