PUPILS and parents at a beleaguered secondary school hope the appointment of a dedicated new headteacher will help turn its fortunes around.

Janet Shadick is currently the associate head at a similarly troubled school in Tower Hamlets, East London.

She is to take over at Headlands in Swindon, which has suffered a turbulent time after being placed in special measures in 2002.

But Ms Shadick, who teaches at Langdon Park School, is said to be enthusiastic about joining Headlands.

In a statement released through Swindon Council, she said: "The real challenge in a school such as Headlands is to raise expectations and aspirations, particularly after such a difficult and turbulent time.

"I am looking forward to starting my new role and meeting with parents and pupils."

She was unavailable for further comment.

Pupils staged a walkout in May to protest about teaching standards, and the school hit the national headlines. Louise Mason, 14, is a year nine pupil at Headlands. She said: "We don't know what she is like. I hope she does make the school better and not use supply teachers all the time." Ms Shadick is part of the Government's fast track headship scheme, which trains high-flying teachers to be headteachers. But she has never been a headteacher in her own right.

She will be joining other teaching staff who are new to the school.

Rose Codling, a teacher with 22 years' experience, was appointed deputy head in May.

She is currently head of Year Nine at Kingsdown School, whose head teacher, David Williams, is also executive headteacher of Headlands School under a federation arrangement. He will continue in this role.

Both women will begin work at Headlands next term.

Ms Shadick, 53, was acting head at a school in Bromley

And after an aggressive recruitment drive, nearly all of the 30 vacancies at the school have been filled in time for the new term.

The school will re-open in Sep-tember under the Government's fresh start initiative, which is aimed at helping poorly-performing schools.

Swindon Council's lead member for education Coun Garry Perkins (Con, Nine Elms and Shaw) said: "This lady knows the school's problems and will be at the school full time.

"She has never worked as a standalone headteacher but she has been recommend by the DFES as being capable of doing this job.

Hilary Pitts, Swindon's director of education, said: "There will be new faces in September and the new start will only work if pupils, parents and staff pull together."

Bhavani Vadde