A SWINDON headteacher who helped a failing school to get back on its feet says he is delighted it has received a positive inspection report.

Headlands School was praised in an HMI inspection report for how much it has progressed since being re-opened under the Fresh Start imitative last September.

David Williams, pictured, headteacher of Kingsdown School, became executive headteacher of Headlands in 2003 after it was deemed a failure by Ofsted inspectors in 2002 and put into special measures.

He worked hard to prepare the school to be reopened last September.

He recruited new staff, including the new head-teacher Jan Shadick.

He said: "We worked hard at redressing staff at the school and dealing with administration and health and safety issues.

"All the work that was put in has allowed the staff and the headteacher to do the job and to do the job extremely well."