HEAD teachers at “coasting” East Lancashire schools could be sacked under new plans to improve failing institutions, it has been announced.

The move, in a new bill due to be introduced in the Queen’s Speech, could potentially affect hundreds of schools in England.

Under the plans, so-called “coasting’ schools” – those that are not considered to be performing as well as they could be – will be put on an immediate notice to improve, and face being taken over, and turned into an academy if they fail to come up with a clear improvement plan.

The school’s leadership would also be replaced.

Faster action will also be taken to turn around failing schools, the Department for Education said, with new teams of top head teachers parachuted in to oversee swift changes.

In these cases, head teachers could also be sacked if there is no clear plans in place to improve.

The government has insisted that the measures are designed to spread opportunity and educational excellence to every part of the country so that children from every background get the best possible start in life.

It is understood that as yet, there is no firm definition of a “coasting” school.