A new principal has been appointed as an academy prepares to relaunch under a new name.

Dr Phillip Hills has been tasked to lead The Grange Academy in Bushey, currently known as The Bushey Academy.

Grange Academy is part of the Future Academies Trust, which has several academies in Hertfordshire and London, including Francis Combe Academy in Garston.

Until February, both Francis Combe and Bushey Academy were part of the David Meller Educational Trust.

Earlier this month, Bushey Academy announced the departure of principal Jon Hebblethwaite in a letter published on its website.

Mr Hebblethwaite wrote: “I have decided that it is the right time for me to leave Bushey Academy at the end of this academic year to explore new opportunities.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to be Principal of the academy for the last three years.

“I have enjoyed working with the wonderful children, parents and staff at the school, and helping to create so many great memories and successes. I wish every one of you all the best for the future.”

His replacement was announced on the website a week later as Dr Hills, who most recently was head teacher at Oxford High School.

According to the Bushey Academy website, Dr Hills is a “highly experienced school leader with an analytical approach and a proven track record of whole-school improvement”.

Bushey Academy was most recently rated as “inadequate” during an Ofsted visit in 2018.

The renaming of the academy to the Grange Academy may not come as a surprise to those who know the area it sits in.

Before it became an academy in 2009, the school was known as Bushey Hall School and before then, it was known as Grange Park School.

Grange Road is also just a stones throwaway from Bushey Academy.

The new name brings a new uniform too, which parents found out about earlier this year.

But newly announced uniform requirements for female sixth form students has “infuriated” a teenager.

Megan Moloney, who has attended Bushey Academy since year 7, says when she read through the new list of uniform standards, she was “outraged”.

She added: “Although some may not see it as a big deal, they had changed nothing of the boys uniform standards, but had made several tweaks to the girls code of uniform.

“Despite this never being a rule before at Bushey Academy, this new trust have now banned the wearing of tight tops and tight skirts, despite them being appropriate lengths.

“I am outraged by this rule of not being able to wear tight skirts and tight tops, as I do not simply understand how this affects our level of education, and how it can be distracting.

“I believe this is in-fact very oppressive, and it has sparked anger amongst girls of my year.

“We are no longer in the patriarchal society of the 19th century, and I am baffled at how this trust, in this day and age, are coming in and telling girls what tightness our skirts and top should be.

“I want to know why we can’t wear tight clothing.”

The dress code for female sixth form students is currently smart businesswear and this will continue but Megan suggests there are now stricter requirements.

The academy website states: "The overarching principle for the academy uniform policy is that uniform should be worn in such a way as to promote a professional appearance.

"For example, shirts should be tucked in and skirts should be of a length suitable for an office environment. Uniform should be ‘incongruous’ and not invite comment."

Future Academies were approached for comment regarding concerns raised by Megan but the Observer did not get a response back.