Bradford's newest head teacher today pledged to transform one of the district's biggest schools criticised as having serious weaknesses.

Bob O'Hagan claimed he would restore Rhodesway School's reputation as a centre of excellence, despite Ofsted's claim it had "serious weaknesses".

"The Ofsted report was a very tough report," Mr O'Hagan said of the Allerton school which has 1,800 pupils. "And I think properly so, because the school is very far from being the school it was, or should be. But in five years' time, it will be transformed."

A team of 18 Ofsted inspectors visited the school last term. They agreed it provided a "satisfactory" level of education, but had serious weaknesses. But they concluded "Rhodesway is a school that knows where it is going and has accurately assessed its weaknesses."

They praised the work done last term to transform the school's fortunes by consultant head Sue Mansfield and the senior staff. Good points highlighted in the Ofsted feedback to staff are:

l the achievement of 6th form GNVQ students

l work done by pupils in art and design and ICT

l a successful drive to cut truancy.

Problem areas include:

l inadequate help given to pupils with special needs and who speak English as an additional language

l the quality of teaching in Years 7, 8 and 9

l sixth-form provision

l ineffective use of assessments to keep both pupils and parents informed of progress.

Inspectors who sat in on classes reported that "behaviour was poor" in a significant number of unsatisfactory lessons although it was satisfactory overall. Referring to attitudes to school, the inspectors say: "They are satisfactory overall but in a significant number of lessons, many students are passive learners, lacking enthusiasm and taking little responsibility".

Mr O'Hagan transformed Hasland Hall Comm-unity School in Chesterfield, taking it from second to bottom of Derbyshire's 60-school league table to become one of the county's most successful comprehensives. Now he aims to do the same in Bradford and hopes another Chesterfield old boy recently arrived in the district - City manager Nicky Law - can do the same.

He added: "I have a lot of respect for him. Hopefully, there's a parallel there."

e-mail: sarah.walsh@bradford.newsquest.co.uk

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