They will solve problems

Bellemoor School in Bellemoor Road, Shirley, was this week placed in special measures after government inspectors described the education on offer as "unacceptable".

Two months ago, Cantell School in Violet Road, Bassett, was put in the same category after inspectors found problems including unacceptable pupil behaviour, unsatisfactory teaching and below average pupil attainment.

"They have new head teachers. Cantell has undergone a major building programme, and substantial improvements have been made at Bellemoor," said Mr Whitehead.

He said the fact that two of Southampton's 14 secondary schools were now in special measures - Ofsted's worst category - was not a poor reflection of the city's education.

He said: "It's a two-way thing. We have got specialist schools in the city. It takes a lot of effort and excellence to get specialist status."

The MP said the inspectors' findings were "retrospective" and that Bellemoor and Cantell were making substantial improvements.

He added: "I would think these schools will come out of special measures very quickly. They have already been dealing with the issues that have been identified."

Councillor Calvin Horner, the city council's Cabinet member for education, training and lifelong learning, said he wanted to reassure parents of the 712 pupils at Bellemoor School and the 1,271 pupils at Cantell.

He said: "I want to reassure them that we will support them and I think they will improve very rapidly under the two new head teachers."

However, he added that he was "disappointed" they were in special measures.

Bellemoor head teacher, Cassie Ellins, who joined last September, is appealing against the Ofsted inspectors' findings and is determined to get the school out of special measures within a year.

Changes already made include improvements to the school's leadership team, the introduction of lesson templates to encourage better lesson planning, and staff training outside school hours.

The electronic registration system introduced last term has already proved a big success in improving attendance at the school.

Now she plans to launch a bid to become a specialist sports and business enterprise college later this term. "We are out there and winning cups galore," she said. "I really want to sell the strength of sport here.

"I have chosen business enterprise because young men rise to a challenge and I want to open up all the doorways and get them into this competition culture which young boys thrive on."

At Cantell, head teacher Ruth Johnson has introduced improvements including a new behaviour management policy, and an isolation room has been opened for naughty pupils to prevent them from disrupting lessons.

Attendance has already improved after a policy of telephoning the parents of absent pupils was introduced last term.

A number of key appointments have also been made in maths, ICT and science, with a new head of science having started last month.

After the school was placed in special measures, Mrs Johnson said: "We are very clear where we need to go. We are aware of our strengths and weaknesses and we are quite excited about moving the school forward."

Rosemary Tong, Southampton's chief inspector of schools, praised the impact that the two new head teachers were already having at their respective schools.

She said: "We can see that the new heads are really tackling the issues and getting to grips with them.

"They are determined to improve the schools and we are very confident that the schools will improve rapidly."

Hampshire County Council has just one out of its 72 secondary schools in special measures - Oak Farm Community School in Farnborough.

Netley Marsh Infant School in the New Forest has just come out of special measures, while Langdown Junior School, which is now part of Waterside Primary in Hythe and the Forest Education Centre Pupil Referral Unit in Dibden Purlieu all managed to get out of Ofsted's bad books last year.

NEARLY six years ago Hightown Primary School in Thornhill was at its lowest ebb.

Branded failing and facing closure the future looked bleak for the Southampton school.

Government inspectors placed the school into special measures - the most serious category of failing schools set by the school's watchdog Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education)

Standards in maths, English and science were low, children made little progress, lessons were badly planned and the school's leadership and management had serious weaknesses.

Much has changed.

During their final inspection before taking the school out of special measures inspectors found teaching and learning was very good and the school was "very effective."

Now rising pupil numbers are testament to the fact that for many parents Hightown Primary in Tunstall Road has now become their first choice school with 225 currently on roll.

Head teacher Sue Bailey and her team of dedicated teachers and governors have helped turn the school around.

"Special measures means there is an awful lot that is fundamentally wrong," said Mrs Bailey, who joined the school in September 2001. She says it has taken about five years to feel really comfortable with the direction the school is going in.

"You have to be very focused upon the key issues. You have to make sure that everyone knows where you are going and what you are doing and make sure everyone is with you."

Mrs Bailey who has 18-years experience as a teacher and six years as a head teacher said it is important to raise morale and expectations at the same time and not shy away from tough decisions.

"You have to be thorough when you take over the school. You are not necessarily dealing with things of your own making."