Pupils at a struggling Birmingham school saw their GCSE pass rate more than double this year after supply teachers were replaced by permanent staff - who were interviewed for their posts by the youngsters.
Results at College High School increased from just 11 per cent of pupils gaining five or more grades A-C to 26 per cent. The figure is expected to climb past 30 per cent when vocational results are in.
Headteacher Kim Popratnjak joined the school last December when attendance, behaviour and the school's general state of repair were poor.
Since then all have improved and the school is one of six nominated for a complete new build.
"I can't think of many schools in Birmingham, in the country even, who will have seen an improvement of nearly 200 per cent, which is what we think it will eventually be," she said.
The school had 24 supply teachers when Mrs Popratnjak joined last December and one of the first big challenges was to recruit more permanent staff.
"Our key words are consistency, continuity and teamwork. This September the school will be fully staffed for the first time." Representatives from each year had a chance to interview potential recruits.
"It was worse than being interviewed by staff," said the head of Year 9 and business studies teacher, Caroline Newton-Mason.
"You knew these were kids you would come up against in working life and if you didn't get it right they would tell the rest of the school. I think it improved our relationship because they felt they had been part of the process."
