A NEW head teacher will be stepping in at Watchet’s troubled Knights Templar First School after their former leader stepped down from the position.

Heather Good, head teacher at Bridgwater’s Westover Green School, will be taking the helm temporarily in a bid to get it out of special measures.

Former head teacher Keith Atkins stepped down from the position this month.

The school was placed in special measures in November after an Ofsted report found it to be providing an “unacceptable standard” of education with “inadequate standards” of teaching for year three and four children.

The report noted that children started school with below average skills and abilities and Mr Atkins was recognised as having made some improvements since his appointment in the personal development of pupils – including their behaviour.

Heather Good said: “I have been asked by the local authority to go to the school in a bid to get it out of special measures.

“I will be going to Knights Templar for four months to work alongside the management team and leadership team.

“I will be focusing on developing of systems in the school to help it progress.

“The main aim is to get the school out of special measures with the idea to get a substantive head teacher in place by September.”

Heather will step into the role after the Easter holiday on April 20.

A spokesman from Somerset County Council said: “We are supporting the governing body to ensure the long term management of the school is secured as quickly as possible.”