A headteacher has hit back after her school was named as one of the worst in the country for truancy.

Eastbourne School, in Darlington, was ranked among the worst 200 schools for truancy in yesterday's secondary school performance tables.

The school, which has been the subject of a rescue package since an Ofsted report said it had "serious weaknesses," was also named 182nd out of 200 of the worst schools based on GCSE results. Only 20 per cent of students achieved five GCSEs A to C grades last year.

The school's head Richard Appleton resigned in October last year along with five members of the governing body.

Deputy headteacher, Karen Pemberton, took over as acting head and a new governing team were appointed by the local authority.

Yesterday, Ms Pemberton said the school had been showing improvements since the rescue strategy.

"Our position in the league table for unauthorised absence is clearly of concern to us," she said.

"However it is important to understand that the figures relate to the academic year 2001/2002.

"Within the last school term there have been changes of leadership at all levels and we have introduced a series of initiatives designed to improve our position in a number of league tables, not least attendance."

The initiatives include setting up a first day absence telephoning system which is targeted at specific groups of children and involves direct contact with parents.

Two officers from the local authority's Education Welfare Service have been helping the school strengthen links with parents of children most at risk from truancy.

The school has also appointed five support assistants whose primary role will be to work with pupils who fail to attend lessons.

Attendance figures since Christmas showed that 89-90 per cent of children went to school -- two to three per cent higher than 2001/2's figures and enough to put them in Ofsted's "satisfactory" category.

Initiatives to boost GCSE results include compulsory extra classes, holiday revision sessions and study days.

Said Ms Pemberton: "There is no magic wand that can be waved on this issue, but the signs are good -- I believe our plans will have an effect and that in next year's league tables our position will be much improved."