Ex superhead resigns from DfE over IT contract

Greg Wallace forced to step down from DfE after previous suspension over IT contract award emerges

A former superhead, once branded by Michael Gove as one of his "magnificent seven", has stepped down from his role with the Department for Education (DfE), after his past suspension over the award of an IT contract came to light.

In 2013 Greg Wallace was suspended from his position of principal of the Best Start Federation (BSF) - which runs five Hackney primary schools - after he awarded an IT contract to VAR C2 Technology, whose director Tony Zangoura is reported to be his partner.

Wallace was subsequently appointed by the DfE onto its maths working group which was set up in September, but he agreed to step down this weekend after the department was made aware of his past suspension by the Guardian.

A representative from the DfE told CRN that Wallace's appointment was "only an administrative error that led to his inclusion on the group", and he "agreed to step down as soon it was brought to our attention". The representative added that Wallace was not paid for his role at the DfE and the maths working group only met once so far.

"Mr Wallace is no longer a ‎member of the maths working group run by the DfE and the NCETM [National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathmatics]," the department confirmed in a statement.

Zangoura - his reported partner - told the London Evening Standard in 2013 that he and Wallace were not together when the contract for computer supplies was awarded to C2 Technology in 2009.

According to Companies House, Wallace was a secretary at C2 Technology until 2004.

Wallace is also serving as an adviser to the Harris Federation - a group of London Academies - and "there has been no change to his position", a representative told CRN.

Hackney council and the National College for Teaching and Leadership have appointed solicitors for a professional misconduct hearing over the case at an unset date, according to the Guardian.