A WISBECH school placed in special measures this summer, where the governors were fired, and where the head quit on the eve of the summer holidays, has confirmed some of the worst GCSE results in its history. Queens School announced today that the percent

A WISBECH school placed in special measures this summer, where the governors were fired, and where the head quit on the eve of the summer holidays, has confirmed some of the worst GCSE results in its history.

Queens School announced today that the percentage of students achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C is just 21 per cent - well under half the national average.

And just 14 per cent of students gained five or more at grades A* to C including English and Mathematics.

Councillor Jill Tuck, Chairman of the Queen's School's Interim Executive Board, which replaced the governing body in July, said: "These results are not unexpected, but will naturally be disappointing for students and their families and the many capable staff who have worked so hard throughout the year.

"They confirm the county council's judgement that the school is in need of swift and decisive intervention. There is a large amount of work to do, to raise aspirations, reform the curriculum and provide the standard of education the students expect and deserve."

Head teacher Stephen McKenna resigned the day before term broke up and has been replaced by a newly appointed associate headteacher, Tony Cooper, headteacher of Cottenham Village College near Cambridge. He will be Associate Head of the Queen's School on a year's secondment.

Mr McKenna's departure followed a highly critical report by OfSTED - the Office for Standards in Education - which placed the school in 'special measures' because it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.

The exam results posted today are not the worst in the school's history but they reflect the downward spiral in recent years.

The last 'self assessment' on Queens produced by the outgoing head, Mr McKenna, revealed that in 1999 only 18 per cent of pupils had achieved five A* to c passes.

"In the three years after that we had 30 to 31 per cent of pupils achieving this level but we could not seem to push on," he said.

"Since 2003 our results have been consistently below 30 per cent."

Cllr Tuck was hopeful, however, "the school is entering a new era and we are confident that the leadership arrangements now in place will ensure the school sees a rapid improvement."

She added: "Cambridgeshire County Council has a clear vision of what needs to be done at the school, and work has already started to address its significant weaknesses. I am confident that with executive headteacher Tony Cooper and the new Interim Executive Board now in place, the school is well placed to make significant progress over the next 12 months"

Cllr Tuck said: "A number of students at the school did exceptionally well in their GCSEs this year, and I send them my warmest congratulations for their dedication and hard work.