THE headteacher of a school condemned as "unsatisfactory" in a damning Ofsted report has resigned.DesTalbot has stood down as headteacher of Sexton's Manor Primary school, Bury St Edmunds which was identified as having "serious weaknesses" in a school inspector's report published earlier this year, citing personal reasons.

THE headteacher of a school condemned as "unsatisfactory" in a damning Ofsted report has resigned.

DesTalbot has stood down as headteacher of Sexton's Manor Primary school, Bury St Edmunds which was identified as having "serious weaknesses" in a school inspector's report published earlier this year, citing personal reasons.

When the report was published in March, Mrs Talbot, who had held the post for two years, blamed the poor report on staff absences, as both the deputy and assistant headteachers had been on lengthy sick leave when the school was inspected.

Following the report, which demanded improvement in standards in English, science and mathematics, the school was given 40 days to draw up an action plan and will face a further inspection later in the year to avoid the possibility of being placed under special measures.

Mrs Talbot was unavailable for comment yesterdaybut Cath Priest, chairman of school governors, said: "Des has had a particularly difficult time recently with staff absences and with an inspection report which has not been favourable to us.

"We must now continue with the preparation and implementation of the action plan to eliminate the problems identified by the inspectors and, understandably, Des feels that for entirely personal reasons, the implementation should be undertaken by someone else. Des has therefore resigned."

The Ofsted report stated: "The overall leadership and management are unsatisfactory. Whilst the headteacher has the full confidence of the governing body, her leadership is unsatisfactory as she has failed to stop the decline in pupils' achievements, particularly in year two."

It also stated that Mrs Talbot and other key staff had "not been successful in addressing the serious weaknesses that he school has."

Parents were notified of Mrs Talbot's resignation in a letter which was sent out last Friday.

Cath Catchpole, who was recently acting head at Exning Primary School near Newmarket, has been appointed as acting headteacher to oversee the school's nine full time staff and the education of its 190 students.

She said: "I have received a very warm welcome from the children, staff and parents that I have met today. I am looking forward to working with the very professional team here to make sure that we are providing a good standard of education for all the pupils."

Mrs Priest added: "I want to thank Des for all the work she has done for us at Sexton's Manor and I am sure that everyone will join me in wishing her every success for the future."

nAn independent school for two to 13-year-olds in Bury St Edmunds has applied for planning permission to change a house into a temporary school.

South Lee School, in Nowton Road has lodged a planning application with St Edmundsbury Borough Council but refused to discuss the matter when contacted by the EADT.