THE new headteacher of Worcester's Elgar Technology College has vowed to help it once again become a "performing" school.

It is hoped interim headteacher David Williams will help bring the school out of special measures after it was failed by Ofsted inspectors.

An inspection report said leadership and management at the school were "inadequate" and it is hoped the appointment of Mr Williams - who has already helped one school out of special measures in his career - will help turn it around.

Mr Williams, who has three grown-up children, spent 16 years as headteacher of Kingsdown School in Swindon, before being headhunted in October last year to run the Wellington International School in Dubai.

He lives in a village near Swindon, but will be staying in Worcester in the week during his time as the headteacher of Elgar.

Although he has never been head of a failing school, the 57-year-old was asked to help a neighbouring school in Swindon get out of special measures by forming a federation with it.

"My plan is to help the school to get back to where it should be - which is a performing school, a school that serves its catchment area very effectively," he said.

"I have seen some of the paperwork and I can see the areas that the school needs to look at and I think with a little bit of working together we can help these areas and help the students achieve what they should be achieving.

"One of the first things I have recognised is that there are some outstanding students and staff."

Mr Williams said he would not be looking to lay blame for past failings, but hoped to see quick improvements.

Elgar's chairwoman of governors Gill Hellings said she was delighted at Mr Williams's appointment.

"The report was public on the last day of term and we have a new head for the first day of term," she said.

"The period of insecurity has been short, so that's an excellent result."

She said the fact Mr Williams had the experience of helping a school out of special measures was a key factor in his appointment.

"From what I can gather it was a school with a number of similarities to Elgar," she said. "The new head had to be someone who had experience of special measures.

"Ofsted says it wants to see improvements and you haven't time to be learning about problems. They need to have been through it, know what's required and have the experience to do that."

Councillor Liz Eyre, Worcestershire County Council cabinet member for children and young people, said: "We need strong action and this is a part of that."