Ref. 72746-201THE future is bright for Head-lands School that was the message from its new head teacher at her first open evening.

Jan Shadick greeted prospective pupils and their parents at school in Cricklade Road last night with the message that it was determined to shake off its past.

She took over as head teacher in September when the school reopened its doors under the Government's Fresh Start initiative a scheme aimed at re-launching failing schools.

The school was put into Special Measures in 2002 by Ofsted after an inspection revealed low standards of education.

But Ms Shadick is determined to make Headlands a success.

In a speech to the visitors, she said: "The future of Headlands is very bright and positive and the feeling is very much that Head-lands is moving on.

"Our vision for Headlands is a learning school, a caring school and a thriving school."

But she said she would be setting tough standards for the pupils. "My expectations for the pupils are very clear.

"I've told them I have very high expectations and I like to set high standards because I care about the pupils and I want them to achieve their potential.

"Here we will not tolerate any disrespect to any member of the community.

"We will not tolerate violence on the school site and we will not tolerate disruption to learning.

"Our rules are fair, firm and consistent."

And she outlined her personal commitment to the school by saying: "I made a commitment to come here from London having been born and bred there and having only ever worked there.

"I did that because I can see the potential in the school. There is huge potential in this school."

After the speech David Williams, who is executive head teacher overseeing Headlands and Kingsdown School, said he too felt that Headlands was moving forwards.

"I am very optimistic. I think that the vast majority of the pupils here are positive and want to learn. In the past this was hijacked by a minority.

"That minority felt badly treated because there was a high number of supply teachers and it was very unsettling.

"And to be frank I would have felt the same.

"But the behaviour of the pupils is already an awful lot better it is visibly better as you walk around the school."

"What we have certainly got here is a great team of staff, they are really first class and I'm so pleased about that.

"They have all worked incredibly hard tonight. There's a lot to be done you don't just turn a school around just like that.

"But a lot of progress is being made. Local people that I speak to, like shopkeepers, have so many more positive things to say about the school."

"They all say the children seem a lot better behaved.

What the parents think

Tracey Stanford, 40, her husband Peter Stanford, 60 and their daughter Charlee 10, visited Headlands because it is their local school.

Tracey who is also a former pupil of the school, said: "It seems to have made a lot of good progress.

"The head teacher seems to have a lot of good ideas for the future of the school.

"And if they do what they say they will do then it will be a great school.

"The school has had a lot of bad press which did put us off at first.

"But the head teacher made us feel very positive."

Susan Kirk, 35, of Penhill, has a son in year seven of the school, Damian, aged 11.

And she said her son had enjoyed his first term at the school.

"There's a lots of different things for the children to learn here like French and computers.

"So far I'm happy with the school and I haven't got any problems with it.

"The staff all seem really friendly

"I have an eight-year-old son too and he will be coming to the school too."

Susan also attended the school as a child: "I'm attached to the place because I came here.

"Children have a lot more opportunities to learn nowadays."

Diane Milne