One of the country’s “superheads”, who ran a chain of top-performing London schools, has died suddenly after she fell while on a half-term break in France.
Amanda Phillips, 62, was the executive principal at the Paradigm Trust, a chain of three primaries and two secondary schools with 2,700 pupils. She has served as head teacher to several schools in the group and also helped to set up the Inspiration Trust, which runs schools in East Anglia.
She was regularly singled out for praise by Michael Gove when he was education secretary, who said that she was a force for good in education. He led tributes last night, calling her “an inspirational school leader — a truly wonderful person”.
David Willis, chairman of Paradigm, said her death was a tragedy. “She led Paradigm Trust with enormous energy, tremendous skill and most of all an enduring passion to give every child an outstanding education,” he said.
It is understood Ms Phillips suffered head injuries in the fall while at her holiday home, and died on Wednesday.