In February 1994 Northicote School, situated in a deprived area of Wolverhampton, was the first in the country to be named and shamed, OfSTED called the school 'appalling in almost every way'.Then Geoff Hampton took over as head - five years later he was awarded a knighthood for transforming the fortunes of this failing school; and its pupils.This book pulls out the key points from the five year programme and shares successful strategies with other heads, governors and teachers. Full of clear advice and guidance fro new and experienced headteachers, containing sections on: Managing the reactions of staff and pupils to an unfavourable OfStED report Finding a positive route to improvement _ Action planning _ Staff and pupil issues _ The role of the headteacher _ Changing the culture of the school _ Involving the wider community _ _ This story is inspirational but it is grounded in the practical realities facing headteachers and senior management teams in education today. The reader cannot fail to be motivated by what has been achieved.