A TROUBLED primary school has called for help after a catalogue of problems.

A number of parents have removed their children from Whitefield CP School, which is receiving special support from Bury Council.

Crunch talks have been held between the governing body and education chiefs with the outcome expected within days.

Poor exam results, internal management problems and a falling school roll are the main concerns of the local education authority (LEA), first highlighted in an inspection 18 months ago by the school standards watchdog Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education.

Headteacher Ms Janet Greaves has been on sick leave for more than a month.

Councillor Derek Boden, chairman of governors, said the Victoria Avenue school had not been classed as "failing", but admitted the local authority was monitoring problems. He said the school had appointed a deputy headteacher to strengthen the management team but was struggling to recruit an additional senior teacher with management responsibilities.

He added that, while results of pupils' Standard Attainment Task Tests had not been up to scratch, they had improved this year. He attributed the falling roll of between 20 and 30 pupils to parents moving out of the area.

The school has now requested help from the LEA to deal with management issues and special needs children.

Coun Boden said: "We have a difficult intake and a very large number of children with special needs, about 70 out of 220 children on the roll.

"It is not in an area where the teachers can just sit back and twiddle their thumbs to get results. The teachers have to work hard and are achieving.

"Whitefield CP School is a school which is working very hard to manage the situation successfully so as to enable the children to achieve what they are capable of. That's all we can ask of any school."

Coun Andrea Hughes, Bury's school standards spokesman, said the LEA was aware of problems at the school and would soon be having another meeting with governors.

"Raising levels of achievement is a key objective of our education development plan and the LEA will continue to work with the governing body to support school improvement for the benefit of pupils at Whitefield CP School," she said.

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