A PRIMARY school in Didcot could be 'closed' in order to combat failing standards.

Greenmere Primary, in Mereland Road, would cease to exist under the Government's Fresh Start initiative and would reopen with a new name and identity.

The school is already moving to a new £4m building on its existing site at Easter and, if the 'Fresh Start' goes ahead, its 40 staff, including 14 teachers, would have to re-apply for their jobs.

The action has been prompted by poor exam results at the school, which are below national targets for 11-year-olds.

An Oxfordshire County Council report stated if the school was subjected to an Ofsted inspection it was likely to be placed on special measures.

In March 2006, the school, which has 300 pupils, was issued with a formal warning notice by the county council identifying inadequate standards and achievement at Key Stage Two, serious weaknesses in the quality of teaching and learning, and insufficient impact by senior management on those issues.

The county also stated that the need for better resources and investment was being hampered by the school's budget deficit and pressure to reduce expenditure.

Under the Fresh Start scheme, the new school would get a funding injection of at least £175,000 and deficits would be written off.

A new headteacher, Jon Grey, and head of governors, Tricia Mathews, joined the school in September and the county said improvements had already begun under their leadership.

Mrs Mathews said the Fresh Start initiative was the best way to take the school forward. She said: "Although it's been getting slowly better, it still hasn't got to the standard we want it to be at.

"We sat down with the LEA and said we have not got the resources or the money to get us to that level. Come September we hope we can start afresh with a new name and money in the bank to go forward.

"I firmly believe Greenmere has the potential to be the best school in Didcot but, without the resources, we cannot take the bull by the horns."

Cabinet member for schools improvement Michael Waine said the Fresh Start initiative offered the best chance of improvement.

He said: "We want the best for all the children in Oxfordshire."

Public consultation on the initiative has been launched. For details, visit the website at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk A final decision will then be made by the county council, which will have to be ratified by the Department for Education and Skills.