THE HEAD of the most improved secondary school in the South West is to take over as temporary principal of Tavistock College next term.

Helen Salmon, (pictured right), currently head of St James' School in Exeter, will take over from Daryll Chapman when he returns to Okehampton College in September.

Tavistock College governors are planning to make a permanent appointment to the role of principal from January 2011. The job advert went in the Times Educational Supplement last Thursday — so far there have been more than 60 requests for application packs. The closing date is June 29.

St James' was placed in special measures by Ofsted in November 2005. Mrs Salmon joined the school in September 2006 and, by the summer of 2007, it had been removed from special measures.

In March this year St James' was named the most improved school in the South West by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and one of the 20 most improved secondaries in the country.

Its GCSE results rose from 30% in 2007 to 64% in 2009 for five passes at A* to C.

Ofsted inspectors said Mrs Salmon's 'ambitious vision' for raising achievement was shared throughout the school and there was a concerted drive for improvement.

Mrs Salmon firmly believes that one of the key elements in improving a school is to engage with the community and rebuild confidence. She will be visiting the school each week to meet and work with staff, governors, pupils and parents.

Newly appointed assistant principal James O'Connell from Lipson Community College in Plymouth, who officially joins the school in September, will also be spending time at Tavistock College once a week until the end of this term.

Mrs Salmon said this week: 'Tavistock College clearly has the potential to be an outstanding school and I am very keen to help them on that journey.

'The school has a lot of strengths in spite of its recent difficulties, not least its impressive students and able staff and its outstanding facilities and supportive governors and community.

'I firmly believe Daryll Chapman was right when he said the college should be out of special measures by Christmas 2011.'

Tavistock College's chair of governors, Mandy Govier, said: 'We are very grateful to Daryll Chapman and Bernie Whitehorn for all the great work they have done in their time with us.

'We are also delighted that Helen Salmon will be joining us as acting principal and we are confident she will build on the work that Daryll and Bernie have done in making improvements throughout the college.

'I would also like to thank publicly the governors of Okehampton College and St James' School for allowing their heads to come and help us out during this difficult time.'

Mrs Govier said she was delighted with the response to the advert for the post of principal.

Interviews would take place from September 14-16 with a decision made on the third day of interviews.