A "SUPERHEAD" who was brought in to save a failing school has spoken of how it has been transformed in just three years.

Lee Harris began transforming Blakewater into one of the best schools in Blackburn after its predecessor Queen's Park Technology College was branded one of the country's worst schools for its results and pupil behaviour.

Whilst it is not yet topping the exam league tables, in three years the Shadsworth Road school has made a remarkable turn around.

The number of students getting five or more good GCSEs has leapt from just 11 per cent in 2004 to 68 per cent last year, and in 2006 it was named in the top one per cent of the country's most effective schools in terms of students progress.

And after its first full Ofsted visit last April, inspectors deemed Blakewater a "good" school, and praised its "family atmosphere".

"A fresh start" was how the job was advertised and Mr Harris said one of his main priorities was stamping out any negative reference to the past.

Apart from nine who had been at Queens Park, all of Blakewater's staff were new, but convincing the students was more of a challenge.

Mr Harris, 48, said: "In my first assembly, I told students we were going to be one of the best schools in Blackburn and Darwen, and there was nervous laughter, almost out of embarrassment because they had been told it was the worst in the country.

"They didn't really believe it, so when we were rated one of country's most effective schools, it was great, and that's when they started to believe in the school and themselves.

"We're still on the same site, and for some in the community memories of Queens Park will still be there.

"But I don't think it bothers our youngsters, and the years 10 and 11 who were at the former school don't even think about it now."

"When you start almost with a blank sheet of paper, like we did, you have to focus on your main aims and principles, rather than detailed policies," said Mr Harris, who immediately formed a new school motto of Effort, Achievement, Success.

Mr Harris, who previously led a school in Stretford, Greater Manchester, out of special measures, believes the key to progress for any struggling school is two fold: a closely monitored tracking system of pupils' progress, and giving the pupils themselves a voice.

"Schools can only succeed if everybody is on side'," he said.

"One of the most powerful things we have got here is the school council.

"We are a relatively small school but we have 40 on the council, and they are involved in the running of the school in many ways; it's given them a lot of confidence."

"If a students is dropping behind in something, find out why and see it through.

"We had a pupil who was falling behind in English because it was the first lesson in the morning and he was always late.

"So a teacher took the school minibus and went to knock on his front door first thing in the morning for several weeks. His work improved."