A NEW head teacher has been appointed at a Marlow school after a damning Ofsted report concluded it was “inadequate” in all areas.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) has ousted Jim Cooke – at the helm of Bisham School since 1985 – and appointed Vicky Brand as interim head teacher.

Parent Rachel Shelmerdine said a team from RBWM arrived at the school gates on Friday afternoon with a locksmith and changed the locks at the Church Lane School.

It comes after Ofsted delivered a scathing report from an inspection in September, despite April’s on-the-spot visit judging the 115-pupil primary school to be “good”.

The report summary states: “Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.”

Among the many criticisms, teaching standards and marking came under fire, as well as pupils’ progress.

And the leadership and the team of governors were lambasted for not doing enough to take the school forward or to scrutinise performance.

Mr Cooke and head of governors John Gordon, as well as a parent action group, say they refute findings of the report and are making an official complaint against the Ofsted inspection.

In a letter to parents, director of Children’s Services at RBWM Alison Alexander said Mr Cooke was “currently not undertaking his duties”.

It is not yet clear if the move is to become permanent, or whether Mr Cooke will return.

The letter states: “The Local Authority has taken immediate action to secure rapid improvement. As a result I have made interim leadership and management arrangements. Ms Vicky Brand will be the interim head teacher from Monday 24 November 2014.

“Ms Brand and the Local Authority staff, who will be in the school on Monday, will be explaining to the children that Mr Cooke is currently not undertaking his duties, using appropriate language, if the question is raised.

“Clearly when a school is placed in special measures there is a significant impact on all staff, parents and the local community.

“Our focus must now be on securing the necessary improvements so that your children receive the high quality education they deserve and continue to enjoy being at Bisham School.”

Mrs Shelmerdine criticised the heavy-handed way RBWM dealt with the changeover.

She said: “They marched into the school around 3.15 on Friday. It traumatised the staff and had them sobbing.

“Then in front of the staff they had a locksmith ready to change the locks.

"The older children who Mr Cooke teaches are devastated, they love him. I’ve had so many calls from parents, and if they weren’t mobilised before, they are now.”

RBWM has responded over the change of leadership at the school.

Ms Alexander said: “Bisham CE Primary School has been judged as Inadequate, requiring special measures by Ofsted. The Royal Borough is now using its power of intervention to oversee the school improvement.  An interim head is on site alongside local authority officers. 

"They are committed to working with the school staff, governors and parents to drive forward standards of education.”  

A meeting is set to take place this week to discuss changes on the governing board.