After announcing last week that its new chief executive officer (CEO) had stepped down, Falmouth School's multi-academies trust (MAT) has appointed a new interim leader.

Mark Lees will be taking over from Sarah Karkeek, who left the role seven weeks after being appointed.

Mr Lees, an experienced headteacher and MAT CEO, starts on Monday November 18 and will lead the three schools in the trust (Falmouth School, King Charles, St Francis) until a new MAT takes over next year.

He is also an Ofsted inspector and has served as the Interim Director for Schools for Truro Diocese.

Falmouth MAT's trustees said in a letter to parents: "The wealth and depth of experience as well as the energy that Mark will bring to the role of chief executive is significant and very welcome."

A re-brokering process is currently underway, which will most likely result in the three schools merging with a larger MAT. The aim is for this process to be completed by September 2020.

The process was triggered by an Ofsted inspection in June that found Falmouth School's leadership to be inadequate.

A decision on the re-brokering was due to be made by the South West England Headteacher Board on October 21, but this has now been delayed until January.

Ms Karkeek – also CEO of Newquay Education Trust (NET) – had been dividing her time between the two MATs before Newquay's trustees asked her to return to her role full-time last week.

Falmouth MAT trustees' letter to parents in full:

As you will be aware we have been seeking to appoint an interim chief executive for Falmouth MAT, to lead our organisation and schools during this important time.

We are delighted to advise you that we have appointed Mr Mark Lees, as our chief executive, who will join us on Monday 18th November, and whom many of you will meet over the coming weeks and months.

Mark is an experienced teacher and Headteacher of many years standing. As well as teaching, Mark also has experience as a Local Authority Education Adviser for special and secondary schools, and is a former MAT chief executive.

Between 2018 and earlier this year Mark also served as the Interim Director for Schools for Truro Diocese. Mark is also an OFSTED inspector.

The wealth and depth of experience as well as the energy that Mark will bring to the role of chief executive is significant and very welcome.

We know you, along with our teachers and support staff will join us in both welcoming Mark and wishing him well in this significant and challenging role.

On a separate note, we now expect to hear from our colleagues at the Regional Schools Commissioner’s office in January as to the destination MAT which will take on management responsibility for Falmouth School. Whilst this is a delay to when we expected to hear (because of the General Election), it in no way delays our preparations nor our longstanding target transfer date of 31st August 2020.