A BOLTON primary school's long serving headmistress has been suspended following a damning report on the way her school was being run.

Bolton Education Authority today confirmed the suspension of Miss Angela Smith from the headship of St Bernard's RC Primary School in Wendover Drive, Ladybridge.

No reason was given, but it is understood Miss Smith will appeal.

In June, a hard-hitting report by an inspection team from Bolton Education Authority slammed the way the school was run and said internal management was "a cause for serious concern". The school was criticised for the way it forced children to walk round in stockinged feet all day when they forgot to take indoor footwear.

The inspection team spent a day at the school at the request of governors and the Roman Catholic Diocese.

But no-one was available to comment from either of those groups today.

The damning report said insufficient regard was taken of the demands of the national curriculum, the professional views of staff or the wishes of parents. It also said the curriculum lacked balance.

But after the BEN published details of the report, some parents backed the head and praised her strict discipline.

After the inspection, Bolton's deputy director of education Mr Brian Atkinson said an "action plan" had been prepared to deal with the school's failings.

The governors' chairman Mr Michael Procter could not be contacted today.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.