The tough-talking new headteacher at a Keighley school has pledged that achievement will double within two years.

Gareth Dawkins said changes would turn around University Academy Keighley and fulfil the potential of its students.

He said leadership, teaching and ultimately learning would improve at the former Greenhead High School, and outcomes for 16-year-olds would “broadly double”.

He predicts an increase from the present 26 per cent to 50 per cent for the all-important five passes at A* to C including English and maths.

UAK currently lags at least 20 percentage points behind other Keighley secondary schools for this measure, and is among the 200 worst performing schools in the UK.

Mr Dawkins, who was drafted in last month following the departure of principal Trish McCarthy, said the current situation was not acceptable.

He said: “The promises that have been made have not been fulfilled. We have had three years where the outcomes of the youngsters in year 11 have gone down.

“We have parents who are genuinely ambitious for their young people but their expectations have on the whole not been met. The children need a better deal.

“Of course there are children who come here and succeed, they’re going to good universities, but overall the picture is not satisfactory.”

Mr Dawkins is an experienced “troubleshooter” who has spearheaded dramatically-improved standards at secondary schools in Bradford district and East Lancashire.

He was deputy head at Greenhead for five years until 1999 when he became the first headmaster of Challenge School, in Manningham.

He is currently juggling the executive principal role at UAK – at the invitation of the governors – with his existing headship of Bradford Academy.

Mr Dawkins was appointed alongside associate principal Linda Wallsgrove – who is also deputy head at Beckfoot School in Bingley – and Bradford Academy's behaviour director Phil Allen.

Mr Dawkins said improvements were already under way before the trio arrived and would continue, with exam results next summer likely to be ten percentage points higher than 2011.

He said: “I would say that all the ingredients that should enable that to happen are already there.

“There are massive opportunities: it’s a marvellous facility and the relationship with the University of Bradford is something any school would envy.

“The potential of the pupils is certainly there. Their attitude is good, they’re smart, and enthusiastic in their lessons. We have a fully-capable and motivated staff. This is a tight community of people who are determined to do it right. There’s no resistance to improvement.”