SPECIAL MEASURES

Special measures mean that a school is failing to give an acceptable standard of education to pupils. The school would usually be given more money and would receive termly visits from Government inspectors. Local education authorities are responsible for helping schools in special measures to recover quickly. The Government has a target that no school should remain in special measures for more than two years. After that, it could face closure.

Derby has a greater percentage of failing secondary schools than its neighbouring cities of Nottingham and Leicester. The announcement that Merrill College, Shelton Lock, has been placed in special measures means that three Derby secondary schools out of 14 are now failing to give pupils an acceptable standard of education. The first secondary school in Derby to be placed in special measures was High View School, Breadsall Hilltop, in January 2002.

It was followed that March by Sinfin Community School, but that school was taken out of special measures in June this year after improvements. Bemrose Community School, Uttoxeter New Road, was judged to be failing by Government inspectors in July. Inspectors agreed that Merrill College had improved since it was said to have "serious weaknesses" in 1999. But its recent GCSE results, which actually rose by 1% to 21% of pupils gaining five or more A* to C grades, sealed its fate.

David Nichols, head teacher at Littleover Community School, Pastures Hill, said that having schools in special measures was bad for the city. He added, "I have great sympathy with schools in this situation because they're the victims of a crude, punitive and negative system." His sentiments were echoed by Ian Jennison, Derby branch secretary of the National Union of Teachers. He said, "I'm getting more and more concerned about the number of schools being put into special measures in the city. It's very demoralising to staff and pupils. It's like hitting someone when they're down."

Drastic action is being taken by Derby City Council to improve the city's worst-performing secondary school. After years of poor academic results, the council has asked the head teacher of a neighbouring secondary school to take over at High View School, in Breadsall Hilltop. Carol Dibbs, head teacher of Lees Brook Community Sports College, in Morley Road, Chaddesden, is likely to take over as executive head teacher, but will still retain the headship of her own school. The plan, which has Government backing, will also see High View School, in St Andrew's View, officially close in August 2004 and re-open with a new governing body, staff structure and name in September 2004.

Plans are already well advanced to build a new £10m school on the same site using private finance by September 2006. This includes a proposal to turn the school around to face Oakwood, in a bid to attract more pupils from that area. Mrs Dibbs' arrival will oust current head teacher Simon Tollervey, who took over the running of the school when it was placed in special measures almost 22 months ago. Government inspectors decided the school was failing to give its 600 pupils an adequate standard of education. The Government is likely to provide more than £750,000 for staff development over the next three years and there could be other funding.

High View School has recorded poor results for several years and Andrew Flack, the city council's education director, said now was the time for more drastic action. He said, "This has gone on for too long and although Mr Tollervey has made improvements, time has run out. We have asked Mrs Dibbs to bring her considerable experience as the head of a successful and improving school into use for the next three years. Towards the end of this time we will look to appoint a new head teacher in time for the opening of the newly re-built school." High View School's existing governing body will be replaced by an interim executive board selected by the city council.

Current chairman Dave Cunningham has already resigned. Mr Tollervey wished the school well for the future. He said, "Time has been the greatest enemy for us. But this should not detract from the hard work that has been put in by parents, pupils and staff." The closure of the school next year means that existing staff will have to re-apply for their jobs if they wish to stay on. Dave Wilkinson, branch secretary of Derby National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, said he was opposed to the closure of the school. He said, "The city council must give a guarantee of no redundancies and preservation of existing pay and conditions to all teachers at the school."