A SCHOOL has been put in special measures after being blasted by Ofsted.

The Bromfords School in Grange Avenue, Wickford, said improvements including a new line up of management have already been made to raise standards and turn the school around.

In a new report out today, inspectors dropped the school into the lowest category of ‘inadequate’ and placed it in special measures following a visit in January.

Interim executive headteacher Richard Westergreen-Thorne started at the school in January following the sudden resignation of previous long standing headteacher Marian Spinks.

Two new deputy heads have also started at the school and there are plans for a permanent headteacher, Daniel Gee, to start at the school in September.

A new chair and vice chair of governors have also been appointed and the governance structure has been completely overhauled to improve tracking and decision making.

The school said evidence of these improvements is already emerging. 73% of students entered for GCSE English in the autumn achieved A* to C grades. The school’s predicted 2014 outcome for 5 GCSE passes including English and maths at grades A* to C is now 63%. The 2013 outcome was 58.5% compared to the national average of 58.6%.

Executive headteacher Mr Westergreen-Thorne, said: “The school is already a different place to the one seen by the inspectors and we are determined to continue the pace of improvement that we are already seeing.

“Since I joined the school in January the staff have worked hard to make the necessary improvements in standards. The students deserve the best possible opportunities and I have been impressed by their potential and their positive response to changes we have made.

“I am delighted the school has an experienced headteacher joining us in September 2014 and I am sure under his leadership the school will continue to move quickly to where it needs to be.”

Don Morris, chair of governors said: “There is good practice at Bromfords but we need to be more consistent. Through our action plan we are rigorously improving performance and standards and seeing significant improvements such as the recent GCSE English results.

“Our aim is to continue the rapid improvement referenced by Ofsted and to move out of special measures at the earliest opportunity”.

READ MORE IN TOMORROW'S ECHO.