The board of governors at a struggling primary school have been sacked and replaced with a team of former headteachers and inspectors.

Winter Gardens Primary School, on Canvey, has announced the appointment of an interim executive board.

The school, in Hilton Road, was put in special measures by Ofsted in November, after a damning report from inspectors.

However, Neville Watson, ward councillor for the area, is optimistic school leaders can improve its fortunes.

He said: “I was really surprised and shocked when it was put in special measures, because my children were educated there and at the time it was a very good school. It had a very good track record and I am absolutely sure they will get it right.”

Local authorities can insist an interim board be brought in under the 2006 Education and Inspections Act.

Guidance states a board can be appointed when “there has been a serious breakdown of working relationships within the governing body of the school”.

Ofsted was critical of the governing body in November’s report.

Inspectors said governors were too dependent on information provided by the school, meaning they were not able to hold the school to account to improve teaching.

The new board includes Iris Cerny, the former headteacher of Whitmore Primary School, Basildon, and Jill Pullen, a schools adjudicator based in East London.

In a letter to parents, board chairman Ms Pullen said: “We will be working closely with your headteacher, members of the school’s senior leadership team and the school staff.

“We will be supporting the school to help it through the challenging times ahead.

“We will be working in the school ourselves on a regular basis and also looking for support from other schools.”

Headteacher Chris Hayes said: “I would like to thank the members of the previous governing body for their hard work and dedication to the school over many years.”

Essex county councillor Ray Gooding, responsible for education and lifelong learning, said: “An interim executive board was appointed at Winter Gardens Primary School after the school was placed in special measures in November following an inadequate Ofsted inspection.

“Among the concerns raised was the effectiveness of the governance of the school. As a result, we applied to the Department of Education in December to remove the existing governing body and appoint an interim executive board.

“Approval was received from the Secretary of State in early January.

“Although every school’s case is considered on an individual basis, we always consider appointing an interim executive board whenever a school is placed in special measure.”

Two members of the former governing body were approached, but declined to comment.