Inadequate school seeks improvement

6:18am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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A FAILING school has been described as inadequate and received the lowest grade possible during their Ofsted inspection.

Tolleshunt D'Arcy St Nicholas Primary School, Tollesbury Road, has now been given notice to improve and will need to be inspected again in six months to see if anything has changed.

Inspector Rob McKeown said in his report: "Since it was last inspected in 2003 the quality of education provided at Tolleshunt D'Arcy Primary School has declined.

"Significant improvement is required in relation to standards, achievement and in aspects of leadership and management."

Mr McKeown did comment on some recent improvements at the school, which had been recognised by pupils, but still criticised the standard of education and pupils' results.

He said: "Children get a good start in the reception class and most pupils then make satisfactory progress in years one and two. After that progress is too inconsistent and for many pupils is inadequate.

"Standards in Year Six key stage two have fallen since the last inspection and the latest national test results in 2007 were below average in english and mathematics and exceptionally low in science.

"Boys' results in all three subjects were also exceptionally low.

"Although pupils currently in Year Six are benefiting from good teaching which is helping them to recover some of the lost ground their targets indicate that standards will remain below average this year."

But pupils, staff and parents are encouraged by some of the more recent improvements after a period of change.

The school has a new interim headteacher. She took over from Penny Smith in April - who had taken over from Lynn Spencer-Campbell at the start of the academic year while she is on sick leave.

Marianne Fuller, the interim head, said: "I think it the report is disappointing given the amount of work staff had done.

"There was a recognition there had to be an improvement and there has been a lot of progress but the school was not able to provide enough evidence of this.

"I do think there is a positive atmosphere at the school and the children are keen to do well.

"We had a meeting for parents and acknowledged their concerns and they are very supportive.

"I have been a head for 16 years and have worked in schools with challenging circumstances and this is a school with these circumstances but I can see progress being made.

"We welcome the next inspection."