THERE have been calls for Buckfastleigh Primary School headteacher Bob Freshwater to resign, two weeks after the school was put into special measures. At a press conference pledging to raise standards, Mr Freshwater said he had no plans to resign. Later that day, he was signed off sick for two weeks and his deputy, Vanessa Coles, was put in charge. Parents are worried that Mr Freshwater is now an obstacle to progress and several have said they want him to go. Parent, Saar Yaniv, who has a son and a daughter at the school, told this newspaper: 'I want to see a new head and a clear plan of action that the school is going to be turned around and reassurance on how academic standards will be raised.' A parent who did not want to be named, said the view that Mr Freshwater should go was 'widespread'. 'It's very difficult for people because he is a nice person and people are fond of him, but our children deserve to have a good education and it's been shown to be ineffective management. People are wanting a change of head now.' As a catalogue of failings comes to light, parents are threatening to withdraw their children unless there is drastic and rapid improvement. 'Many parents – often parents of brighter children – are giving it until the end of the summer term. If things aren't drastically improved in the near future there is going to be a large exodus,' said one parent. Parent David Scott said he was furious to discover that last summer's SATS tests were so poor that the school had them independently verified not once, but twice. Mr Scott, whose son Archie is on the gifted and talented programme, said he had made several attempts to get hold of the results but was put off. He finally obtained a copy the day the school announced it had gone into special measures. 'Daily we get more information that highest ability children are two years behind in some subjects where they should be if they were just average students,' he said. He said that parents had been unaware that the school was subject to 'major intervention' following its last Ofsted report, which identified major weaknesses. 'Parents were left so in the dark that it is unbelievable. We've been told that a new governor is being appointed, but none of us can find out who that person is,' said Mr Scott. Mr Yaniv said: 'I have learnt that in 2000 the school was put on notice to improve its performance. The school was told there was a problem and as a consequence it has become worse. There is inadequacy. 'I feel there is a closing of ranks and protection of the establishment rather than clear action for the benefit of my child.' Another parent laid some of the blame at the door of the governing body, for avoiding hard decisions. She said: 'They have not been looking to obtain hard facts and evidence – many decisions have been based on intuition. I think there has been severe misjudgement.' Parents' meetings were held at the school on Wednesday and Thursday to try to reassure parents. Neither John Vinton, chairman of governors, nor Mrs Coles, acting head, were willing to speak to this newspaper, directing inquiries, instead, to the county council press office. A Devon County Council spokesman said: 'We acknowledge the parents' concerns and are working very closely with the governors and the leadership team to bring about rapid improvements at the school. 'We are also identifying further support to strengthen the leadership of the school.'