The head teachers of five secondary schools have spoken out in a show of support for Greenhead High School, which was branded as inadequate' in an Ofsted report.

In a joint statement the heads condemn Greenhead's negative Ofsted report as "unfair."

Chris Thompson, of Oakbank School, Chris Taylor, of Bingley Grammar School, Gillian James, of Ilkley Grammar School, Tony Rickwood, of Parkside School, and Connor Davis, of Holy Family School, have all signed the statement.

In it they say: "As head teachers of the other secondary schools in the Three Valleys partnership we are dismayed at last week's Keighley News front page on Greenhead school's Ofsted report. We note that the Ofsted report was published in December and that the time to report on its judgments was then. The report's judgments were viewed by all in the Bradford and Keighley education community as very unfair. Working with other schools in the partnership, Greenhead High School has made good progress over the past few years under Trish McCarthy's leadership.

"The staff at Greenhead are recognised across the partnership as hardworking, committed and knowledgeable.

"We note that in 2006 the school had one of the best value added results in the area and only last year it won an award from the Specialist Schools Trust for being a successful and improving school."

The statement arrived as a former Greenhead School governor spoke out to say that the school should stop making excuses and take responsibility for its bad Ofsted report.

Last week Greenhead head teacher Trish McCarthy said that the report, which graded the school inadequate in three categories, was unfair, but Beverly Bottomley, who has a son at Greenhead, said that she had to spend out thousands of pounds on extra tuition just so he could pass his GCSEs.

She said: "I can fully sympathise with the parents from Addingham who don't want to send their child to Greenhead.

"Last year I had to shell out over £2,500 just so my son could pass his GCSEs.

"My son is not the brightest child that ever lived but he is dedicated to his work and he would have been on track. I had to take on a second job just so he could pass his exams. He got his GCSEs but I can't thank the school for it."

But like the head teachers, other people have written to the Keighley News in support of the school, saying that the staff are very dedicated to the pupils.

Steve Grasham said that his two children were very happy at Greenhead and had been offered numerous opportunities during their time there.

And former pupil Asima Parveen, who is now at Bradford University, also wrote in to say she was shocked at news of the bad Ofsted report and thought the school was doing well.

She said: "When I was at Greenhead the teachers taught us well and they were always having after-school classes for those under-achieving. I believe that the school needs help and time to improve.

"I am currently at university in my second year, for which I greatly thank the Greenhead teachers for all their help and support. Without them I don't think I would be where I am today and I think I speak on behalf of all the ex-Greenhead students."

The school has been given a year to improve by inspectors and Greenhead head teacher Ms McCarthy said she was confident that it would meet Ofsted expectations in August.