'Inadequate' Heaton Manor School faces second takeover

Heaton Manor is one of Newcastle's largest secondary schools with nearly 2,000 pupils

A school put into special measures only two years after being rated "good" by inspectors is to be taken over by a second caretaker school in six months.

Heaton Manor in Newcastle was rated "inadequate" by Ofsted after an inspection in November last year.

Gosforth Academy has been asked to take over temporary leadership in September.

Academy head teacher Hugh Robinson said any involvement needed agreement from his governors, who did not want to "steamroller" in.

He had been asked to consider taking over the school permanently but further discussion was needed, he said.

But it "would be beneficial for the city if we all work together", rather than a group from outside the area running the school, he added.

Gosforth Academy's head teacher Hugh Robinson said he had to wait to be invited to speak to the school's governors

The Ofsted report highlighted weak leadership and a decline in Heaton Manor's performance, though some parents have said the findings do not reflect the school as they know it.

Head teacher Lynne Ackland retired suddenly over Christmas and St Mary's Catholic School has led the school on an interim basis.

A letter to parents from Heaton Manor's governors said St Mary's was not able to extend its involvement beyond the end of the school year because of other commitments.

It said an order had been issued requiring Heaton Manor to be converted into a sponsored academy but that no decisions had been made.

Newcastle City Council said Gosforth Academy had "good experience of supporting other educational settings across the city".

It was confident the academy would "develop a positive relationship with Heaton Manor employees, governors, pupils and their families and work through the action plan that was put in place following the Ofsted inspection".