Teachers at the failing school have a month to improve their work

Ten teachers at The Ramsgate School, ranked as the second worst in the country this year, have already resigned or are planning to leave.

The school, in Stirling Way, Ramsgate, has had five headteachers in as many years.

But now staff are facing "fast track competency procedures", brought in by the education authority.

Earlier this year, Ofsted labelled the school as "failing".

However, when the inspectors made a second visit in July, they said its overall performance had improved, apart from the quality of the teaching.

'Vigorous action'

Two thirds of the teachers were asked to improve their work or risk losing their jobs at the beginning of the school year, with the remaining 11 now facing the same prospect.

Keith Hargrave, the school's executive headteacher, said it had to take the action to ensure it met with inspector's guidelines.

"HMI's requirement was that vigorous action needed to be taken against poor teachers.

"HMI do not use words like vigorous unless the situation was very serious," he said, adding that the examination results were "amongst the very worst of any school in the country".

Teachers facing disciplinary action will be interviewed this week and could face being sacked in four weeks time if their work does not improve.

During the review month they will be constantly supervised by educational consultants.

The teachers' union NASUWT said its members did not agree with the headteacher's action, and industrial action was a possibility.

Kent County Council has supported the school's "fast and very firm action".