PLANS have been unveiled to turn the struggling Abbeywood Community School in Stoke Gifford into an academy.

The aim is for the secondary school to reopen in September as part of the Olympus Academy Trust.

The school was placed in special measures by the learning watchdog Ofsted last week after failing to provide an acceptable standard of education.

The trust already runs the successful Bradley Stoke Community School, which converted to academy status last month.

If the proposals were agreed by Education Secretary Michael Gove, Bradley Stoke head Dave Baker would continue as executive head of both schools.

Officials from Mr Gove's department met representatives of South Gloucestershire Council and both schools last week to discuss the future of Abbeywood, which has been in difficulties since it launched in £30 million new buildings in September 2010, replacing Filton High School.

Head teacher Ann Duff resigned in October last year and Mr Baker has been running the two schools since then.

The Secretary of State has the right to force any school in special measures to become an academy under a sponsor of his choosing. A number of education providers are looking to expand and take on academies, but the council is urging the Department for Education to select the Olympus trust as sponsor. Nigel Minns, head of quality and standards at South Gloucestershire, said: "We'd prefer a solution that sits well with local partnerships."

Mr Baker said the response he received from parents, before and during a meeting last night, suggested they wanted to see a continuation of the improvement efforts at the school. He said many parents were shocked by the Ofsted report but welcomed the tougher approach on matters such as uniforms, discipline and behaviour. "The change in the culture has been phenomenal," he said. "The atmosphere in the school is very calm and positive."