David Millar took on the role of executive principal at the Isle of Sheppey Academy at the start of this term.

He says his job is to raise standards – but it’s a team effort and he says he expects all pupils to turn up prepared to work hard.

Mr Millar works for Oasis Community Learning (OCL), a charity which became a sponsor in April and will become completely responsible in January.

He is also principal at Oasis Academy Coulsdon, a failing school which he has worked to turn around over the last five years.

His time is spent with four days on the Island and one in Surrey, although this is flexible and he often spends a full week on Sheppey.

He plans to be permanently based on the Island, but is keeping in touch with Coulsdon because he made a promise to the community there to see the project through – and they are not quite where he wants to be.

The 36-year-old says a main ethos at OCL is to work not just with schoolchildren but with families and the community, too.

“There’s no denying standards here are not good enough,” he said.

“It won’t be a quick project to improve attendance and results – it’s about making a school that everybody is proud of and a school everybody would be proud to send their own children to.

“There’s a need to catch up and make rapid progress but in terms of putting timescales on Ofsted judgements and things – I think it would be foolish to do that.

“It will be done in a way that’s sustainable and long lasting – it will be about doing what’s right by the kids and the community.”

The father-of-three says his staff have already identified things that need doing and changes have been made based on his experience of transforming schools.

These include changes to the way Year 11 was arranged.

There have been changes to class numbers, the amount of English and maths has been increased and they are doing five one-hour lessons instead of four longer ones.

An audit is on-going and the results will reveal what other changes need to be made.

Mr Millar says he is well aware there have already been many changes and there is uncertainty but says anything he does will be in the best interests of the children and no decision is taken lightly.

He also says he knows children need consistency but equally the school needs to evolve.

“I understand some parents would say there have been lots of false and broken promises and I understand that makes it fragile,” he said.

“There are generations that have had bad experiences of this school in its many guises so we are trying to reach out to them.

“It’s not about blame and guilt and dwelling on what’s been – it’s about creating a better future for this school and this Island.

“Nobody comes into this to do a bad job – everybody wants this school to improve.”