EDUCATION chiefs have insisted they are making strides to improve secondary education as De La Salle’s troubles put school leaders and directors under fresh scrutiny.

Last year the Star reported heads’ jobs would be on the line in cases where standards are not raised but questions are also being asked of Cllr Sue Murphy, the council’s cabinet member for schools, and Andy Dempsey, the chief officer overseeing children’s services.

Council leader Cllr Barrie Grunewald insisted he has “complete confidence” in Cllr Murphy, who he selected for his cabinet and he likened transforming failing secondary schools to “turning around a super tanker”. Cllr Grunewald made improving a “coasting” secondary education service a priority when he came to power in 2013, implementing an education commission and appointing a schools commissioner who will hold heads to account.

Meanwhile, Mr Dempsey, St Helens Council’s director of children and young people’s services, has insisted De La Salle is “already improving” and that standards in St Helens schools “are on the way up”.

He said: “Our KS4 performance (five A* - C including English and maths) has closed the gap with national averages and is now higher than Knowsley (35.4 per cent), Liverpool (49.9 per cent) and Sefton (55 per cent).

“We have recruited some outstanding practitioners to work with our head teachers and, based on current performance, we expect our secondary schools to improve their judgements over coming months.”