REPUTATION it seems, can make or break a school.

Yet heads are under increasing pressure to reach and maintain standards - against a backdrop of scrutiny by Ofsted watchdogs and tighter budgets.

So when their school has had a chequered past, their work will be cut out for them.

Not only are comparisons made with other schools but the need to try to build relationships and trust with parents and pupils is perhaps all the more important.

Once upon a time the then named Sir Charles Lucas Arts College in Greenstead, Colchester, did in many respects, compare less favourably to other secondary schools in the area.

Results weren't particularly high, with about 30 to 40 per cent of GCSE students achieving five A-C grades.

Back in 2006/07 as many as 900 pupils were excluded.

That school closed and reopened as Colchester Academy in September 2010 under the leadership of Barry Hersom who remained until 2015.

After that assistant principal Fiona Pierson was appointed as principal with Bright Tribe becoming the academy's new sponsor a few months beforehand.

For Fiona, who left in July after vastly improving the school's Ofsted rating to Good and its results, it was a case of time to start a new chapter.

In her place is Jenny Betts who started her job in September.

And while she has come into a new school with an ever improving reputation, what couldn't have been expected was controversy surrounding the academy's sponsor.

A recent Panorama documentary alleged hundreds of thousands of pounds given to the trust for building improvements and fire safety by the Government, had not been spent properly.

Bright Tribe founder Michael Dwan denied wrongdoing but has since resigned his position on the trust and a new interim leadership group and board have been appointed until a new academy sponsor is found.

Jenny said: "I knew the Panorama programme was coming and I was aware of the historic issues that would be raised.

"I am very pleased that the new interim executive leadership of the Trust has been looking into all these issues as a matter of urgency since their appointments, and everything I have seen from them gives me real confidence in their ability to move us forward positively.

"They have been hugely supportive of the Academy and everything they do has the best interests of students at the front of their decision making."

The programme alleged Bright Tribe was given £250,000 to be used to pay for essential fire safety improvements.

But instead a void was left in the Academy building ceiling and fire doors were not replaced.

Mr Dwan was also presented with evidence showing more than £500,000 was given to Colchester Academy to demolish internal walls in the sports centre.

However, instead they were patched up with metal braces. He denied the accusations.

Jenny explained how she had responded to the concerns for safety.

"Communication with parents is essential. I have written to parents since I started to introduce myself and also to ensure they are up to speed on developments.

"I have of course also met numerous parents this term so far, and the recent open evening allowed me to meet more parents and young people keen to join us.

"I’m a huge believer in the adage that the most successful schools are those which are a real team effort, with everyone connected with the school pulling in the same direction - students, parents, staff and the wider community. That’s what I see with Colchester Academy and so I am very excited about what lies ahead for our school."

Essex Fire Service carried out an audit of the school's safety in light of the Panorama documentary "no life safety issues were identified," a spokesman confirmed.

He added: “Our inspectors found that fire safety provisions in both buildings, including fire doors and walls, were satisfactory and did not require further recommendations.”

Besides that, there is the reputation of the school's results.

During Ms Pierson's three-year leadership the school went from an Ofsted rating of 'Inadequate' to 'Good'.

And according to ‘Progress 8’ measures for school performance, Colchester Academy was in the summer of 2018, ranked 'average' compared to other schools in the are.

Its score was better than Thomas Lord Audley School, Colchester, the Colne School, Brightlingsea, St Helena School, Colchester, and Honywood School, Coggeshall.

Under Ms Pierson's tenure she banned mobile phones, scrapped unpopular Saturday morning detentions and gave other senior staff more power over disciplining pupils.

So how does Mrs Betts intend to build upon that?

By seeing it rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, she hopes.

"Fiona was very successful and I am filling big shoes," she said.

"A principal is really a guardian or caretaker of the school, and I am the latest to be privileged enough to be in this role.

"My job is to ensure that the school continues to develop positively and improve, so that I hand on Colchester Academy to the next principal with its values and strengths still very much to the fore, and so that it continues to be known for excellence.

"I aim to be here for many years though and I hope I will make it mark – we are aiming to be an Outstanding school and I want to see all students continue to progress and improve."

Setting out her short term objectives for the school, she said: "I will ensure we have an absolute focus on every student in the school - developing their character, commitment and culture so that they have the currency to be successful citizens both while at school and when they complete their time with us and go out into the world.

"The most important long term objective is to continue to secure the success of Colchester Academy as a provider of great education for the local community, to allow our students to compete and do well on the local, national and global stage."

Before coming to Colchester Academy, Mrs Betts, who has two sons, was vice-principal for six years at Stoke High School, Ipswich.

Yet now more change is on the horizon for Colchester Academy.

It is one of six schools belonging to Bright Tribe where bosses recently voted to offload them “as quickly as possible”.

The Hawthorn Avenue school joins others in Leiston, Ipswich and Oldham in being “rebrokered” - the name given to the official process of finding a new sponsor.

Multi-academy trusts are being urged to come forward to provide the “expertise, support and stability” needed.

The respective Regional Schools Commissioners and the Department for Education will identify and decide new sponsors as swiftly as possible, working with the Trust and each school’s leadership.

Its staff, parents and pupils have weathered many storms and hopefully the ship is being steadied by Mrs Betts' leadership.