THE £85,000-a-year superhead brought in to turn around a school named as one of Britain's worst admitted: "It has to succeed for the sake of the pupils."

Council bosses closed Blackburn's Queen's Park Technology College in March after recording some of the worst GCSE results in the country - just months after the school was put in special measures.

But a defiant Lee Harris, head of the newly named Blakewater College, which today opens in the same building with the same pupils and 10 of the same teachers, said critics would be swayed by results and vowed: "It will succeed."

The decision to rename the school has sparked controversy with critics, such as the National Union of Teachers, who are unhappy that around £500,000 has so far been spent on redundancy packages and £300,000 earmarked for eight senior managers.

Mr Harris joins Blakewater College after a post as executive head at Lostock College, Greater Manchester, where the number of pupils achieving five GCSEs grades A*-C doubled under his regime.

But the 45-year-old has refused to become embroiled in the controversy surrounding events at Queen's Park.

He said: "It is not about what has gone on before - I've not been part of that.

I am now concerned about the future. The school has got to be a success for the young people and I am confident it will be."

"One thing we will quickly focus on is the students shortly sitting GCSE exams and make sure we put our resources into ensuring all our pupils achieve their potential."

Year 10 and 11 students will have a special timetable to help them focus on their forthcoming GCSEs while Year 7 pupils will be taught by a smaller range of teachers to help them settle into their secondary education and strengthen their literacy and numeracy skills.

While aware he will "ultimately" be judged on results, getting the right grades is not the school's only focus.

Mr Harris added: "Success in exams does improve opportunities in the future and that will be a clear message to students, their families and the community, but I want all students to enjoy successes and celebrate their achievements and talents, whatever they are."

In the future the school will also offer learning opportunities to the local community beyond the normal school day.

Formal teaching will end at 3.30pm to be followed by a wide range of out-of-hours learning activities, including sport.

The school will also follow the lead of 30 other schools in the borough and operate a daily breakfast bar.

Mr Harris said: "Breakfast will be served daily from 8.30am. I want it to become a normal part of the day and hope as may staff as possible join the pupils for breakfast.

"Building relationships is very important and things like the breakfast bar will help make it possible to show we are all on the same side."

Coun Dave Hollings, executive member for education and lifelong learning in Blackburn with Darwen, said: "This is a new school which has a chance to be put on a proper footing once and for all."