THE headteacher of a school at the bottom of the Wiltshire league tables has defended his staff and pupils.

Craig Gibbens, headteacher of Longmeadow Primary School in Trowbridge, said the school is improving and just needs to be given a chance.

He said: "We know our performance isn't considered average in any shape or form but that is only one of the indicators of progress.

"Yes, the school does face challenges but we are well on the way towards meeting those challenges. We are heading in the right direction."

Over 50 per cent of the pupils in the year group assessed by the results have special educational needs.

The school is on the Longfield estate, one of the most deprived areas of Trowbridge, and the 130 pupils come solely from the estate.

Mr Gibbens took over the reins just nine weeks before it was visited by Ofsted Inspectors and put into special measures at the beginning of this year.

The school was ordered to improve leadership, to raise the standard of teaching and to make better provision for children with special needs. The school has in the past had a reputation for unruly behaviour but Mr Gibbens said this is no longer the case. "Behaviour here has always been an issue but for two inspections in a row it has been deemed satisfactory, which is fantastic.

"It has been a turbulent school in the past with a very high staff turnover but I hope that is in the past.

"The children are brilliant and the atmosphere is fantastic. They want to learn and they are realising that learning can be a fun experience."

Mr Gibbens said parents have been very supportive and initiatives such as parent and child reading sessions and a new breakfast club have encouraged them to be involved with the school. "Parents are so important in moving a school forward and there is sense of involvement now and that we are having a positive impact. I think it is fair to say we are getting more parents to parents evenings than before."

To encourage the children and to help build their self-esteem Mr Gibbens has introduced a reward system in which the youngsters get bronze, silver and gold awards for doing well, either in work, behaviour or other areas of school life, leading to a voucher once they have collected up enough awards.

The school has been judged by inspectors to be making satisfactory progress towards the goal of coming out of special measures in May 2007.