By Alison Smith BBC News education reporter

On target: The head (right) and deputy illustrate their principles

He was appointed head of Mossley Primary School in Walsall in October 2001. It had been judged a "failing school" back in 1998.

Two days after Mr Richards arrived, Her Majesty's Inspectors came knocking on his door.

"The interim head - who was tremendous - took over that visit," he said, "but the inspectors wanted to weigh me up too".

"The governors took a big gamble on me," he added. "But I think they saw my energy and spark for the job - and something different."

Earl Richards seems a "hands-on" head teacher - he tries to imbue his pupils and staff with enthusiasm, motivation and a large dose of self-belief - and he also teaches many lessons himself.

Although he knew his job and the school's future was on the line if things did not improve, he says he just focused on the teaching and learning.

Importance of targets

Ofsted had identified that Mossley Primary was weak in the area of pupil assessment.

Deputy Head Karen Hammond brought her expertise in that area to the school, which she joined in 2002.

Formerly a local authority special advisory teacher, she had helped many schools improve assessment and had devised a computer system which tracked pupils' progress.

"We needed to track pupils better and intervene early," she said, "not wait until the end of the year to say a child hadn't progressed."

"The system was colour-coded, so if a child didn't progress as we would like, it would flash red. And we would give the teachers that feedback," she said.

A large part of the school's new ethos involved setting targets. Whereas many schools protest that there are too many targets to meet, Mr Richards believes they are vital.

"I disagree that targeting young children isn't acceptable," Mr Richards said.

It was a moment where I felt justified Head teacher Earl Richards explains his relief on hearing special measures would be lifted

"We set targets from nursery and in every subject - if a child isn't making progress, we need to know and we will set targets to be met within weeks," he explained.

The school is trying to increase staff numbers, because "it is logical" that a smaller ratio of pupils to trained staff helps children learn, Mr Richards argues.

But those staff do not necessarily need to be teachers. Teaching assistants and even parents with appropriate qualifications can have their place, Mr Richards said. "I want a teacher to run the show, and teaching assistants who know what they are doing," he said.

Inspector 'like God'

In December 2002 Mossley Primary was taken out of special measures.

"It was a great moment for me," the head went on. "Some of the staff were in tears - the deputy was in floods. It was a moment where I felt justified."

The inspector had been "like God" Mr Richards said, wielding a great power over all their lives.

When a school is judged failing and placed in special measures, Ofsted inspectors return every term. Mr Richards inspected teachers himself every two weeks.

Deputy Head Karen Hammond recalls how stressed the teachers had been when she joined the school, saying they had been "observed and advised to death".

"We had had to make rapid progress while under special measures," Mr Richards added.

"The goal was for a turnaround in two years. "

The school lost around half its staff during that period.

The strain of being inspected so often and being described as a failure was too much for some, he said.

"And this isn't a nice twee little school. It's in a difficult area," he said. "We have had to pick up syringes from the playground.

"Speaking and listening skills are a problem for some of the children who come here."

"If you look around the school, it sometimes looks like a bomb site - but my focus is always the teaching and learning. That's all I care about.

"We want everyone here to believe anything is achievable."

His enthusiasm for learning and for a challenge is palpable.

Last year Ofsted judged the school was "very effective and much improved".

Earl Richards says it is still going through major change and "could become an excellent school".

"But one size doesn't fit all," he said.

"What I did worked in this school, but that doesn't mean another head couldn't do it in a different way.

"You'd have to be extremely focused and prioritised to turn a school around within a year as the government wants.