PLANS to turn Tavistock College into an outstanding school have received a boost, with the news that the new principal's former school has been named as one of the top ten most improved in the country.

Helen Salmon assembled a winning team to help take St James in Exeter from a failing school to the tenth most improved in the UK — and now hopes to repeat the achievement at Tavistock College.

Mrs Salmon said: 'The change came about by forming a strong, committed team of staff and changing the school's culture to one of success.

'Tavistock College has some excellent teachers who are working extremely hard to provide a curriculum which suits the needs of all students and encourages them to aspire to success.

'We are all determined to work together to improve exam results and turn Tavistock College into an outstanding school by 2014.'

St James was the only south west school to make the top ten, with the percentage of students gaining five GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and maths rising from just 17% in 2007 to 52% in 2010.

The news came as the Department for Education published Key Stage 4 and 5 league tables showing how schools performed in last summer's GCSE and A Level exams.

Tavistock College staff and students are working hard to achieve improved results in the summer.