A HEADTEACHER charged with turning around a failing school says it has a bright future ahead — despite a warning from an education watchdog that progress is inadequate.

Simon Bramwell, head of SS Simon and Jude CE School in Great Lever, said the school has made a fresh start and improvements will show in time.

Ofsted placed the school into special measures in April and inspectors revisited it in the autumn.

They said achievements and standards were too low in core subjects, reported major weaknesses in key literacy and numeracy skills, and said the school had not yet eliminated “unsatisfactory teaching”.

However, they noted improved results for Year Six pupils, who left in the summer, and other “pockets of improvement”.

They also said pupils found school more enjoyable and that attendance had improved.

They reported: “The momentum for change has begun, and new and appropriate structures are emerging but the impact has yet to be seen.”

In response, Mr Bramwell said: “The inspectors accepted that the school made a fresh start in the autumn.

“With half of the teachers and four support staff having started in September, it takes time to bed things down.”

He said that 45 per cent of lessons were judged as good or better by the Ofsted inspectors.

Parent-governor Gary Kennedy said: “The school has improved dramatically under the dynamic leadership of Mr Bramwell. He will not accept failure and will lead the school out of special measures.”

A Bolton Council spokesman said: “This short-term report is not as we would have wanted but we are confident about the significant changes being made by the new head teacher.”