His commen ts came as a report from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) this morning put the school back into special measures.

The inspectors' verdict will trigger radical changes to the way the school is run after a decade of attempts to transform its fortunes.

Ministers are particularly sensitive about The Ridings as the school became notorious in 1996 just months before Labour took power as teachers threatened to strike over pupils' violent behaviour.

This Government has overseen the bulk of the efforts to put it back on track.

Despite its turbulent history, The Ridings will not close immediately but the report will certainly mark the end of efforts to make it work in its current form.

Calderdale Council will start the changes by asking Education Secretary Alan Johnson for permission to remove the school's existing governors and replace them with a small executive board to oversee improvements.

The Government also wants to see a longer term plan for the school but it is understood Ministers will stop short of imposing a solution as long as they are convinced the council is determined to tackle the problem.

Council officials are already drawing up a plan to overhaul education across north Halifax and will put forward a range of options although it is thought maintaining The Ridings as it is will not be among them.

Lord Adonis said: "The situation at The Ridings School is serious and unacceptable. Calderdale Council has an unambiguous responsibility to act immediately to improve provision for pupils at this school.

"The future of the school must now also be decided and the council should consider the complete closure of the school."

But he insisted The Ridings's return to special measures did not suggest a wider failure for the Government's education policy and said there had been "huge progress" in national standards over the past 10 years.

The Yorkshire Post revealed in January that Ofsted had decided The Ridings should go back into special measures and its report will make difficult reading for some at the school.

Under-fire headteacher Stuart Todd's approach to improving the school since he took up the post two years ago is endorsed by the inspectors, who instead focus their fire on a small group of teachers they claim is being obstructive. The inspectors also identify persistent media attention since the school hit national headlines in 1996 as a problem.

Overall, the school is rated "inadequate" in 18 out of 26 categories in today's report. The quality of teaching, behaviour, exam results and the failure of pupils to progress are all criticised.

Calderdale Council leader Ann Mcallister said the report made it clear that the priority of everyone connected to the school should be "putting the pupils first" and that "decisive action" was now needed.

Sue McMahon, Calderdale secretary for the National Union of Teachers, said the school had many good teachers and talented pupils but was operating in a tough area and in the glare of media attention. She added: "The Government has supported The Ridings throughout difficulties in the past – we sincerely hope that they continue to do so."