A SUPERHEAD will be appointed to a trouble-hit Kidderminster school in a bid to raise standards and save it from closure.

It was agreed by Worcestershire County Council's Cabinet that a total of £700,000 would be invested over the next four years into the Harry Cheshire Community School.

Numbers at the failing school have recently fallen from 1,200 to 480, and fears had been growing in the town that it may close.

But yesterday, councillors confirmed the innovative rescue package would include the appointment of well-paid headteacher - known as a superhead - and a revamp of middle management, which councillors hoped would give the school a future.

"It's with great reluctance I agree to this recommendation, but the fact is it will benefit the pupils and is absolutely essential," said Coun June Longmuir.

"I would suggest that taking on a superhead with an enhanced salary should be on a short-term contract or on a bonus-related scheme in terms of performance," she said.

Coun John Gordon said there had been rumours the school was due to close and these needed addressing.

"I think this package is the correct form of action, but I would like assurance that in the future, there will be three high schools in Kidderminster."

Julien Kramer, director of education services, said Harry Cheshire was a good school, but it was under-achieving.

"This is a challenging school which needs our support. We need to find a quality head, who we are prepared to pay for.

"Our desired outcome would be a radical change in the educational environment, increased popularity with parents, improvement in exam results, rise in number of pupils and avoidance of the school moving into special measures as a result of another bad Ofsted report."

Chief executive Rob Sykes told councillors that to improve standards they had to make the difficult decision.

Members of the cabinet unanimously agreed to offer financial support to the school. The estimated cost of intervention would be £100,000 in this financial year and £200,000 per annum over the next three years.