Head teacher not panicked by Ofsted's "inadequate" verdict

The school was visited on November 1 and 2, and was issued with a notice to improve. Inspectors will return within 15 months to re-assess it.

Key areas of concern were achievements and standards in maths and English.

Head teacher Judy Grevett, who has been at Connaught only since September, said she was determined to remedy the problems raised and continue to improve the school's performance.

In their report the inspectors graded the school as either satisfactory or inadequate in the majority of areas but with some "good" grades for pupils' behaviour and their enjoyment of learning.

Speaking to the Gazette on Tuesday, Mrs Grevett said: "Since I started here in September, I have worked hard with the staff and pupils to improve the quality of learning at the school.

"I am pleased with what was said by the inspectors about the culture of the school and the issues of the standard of achievement were no surprise.

"The most important thing about the Ofsted inspection is that the school was not judged to be a failing school. It is a question of needing to improve standards and achievement, which is why we have been given a notice to improve.

"Even though every other aspect of the school was judged by Ofsted to be satisfactory the overall effectiveness must be inadequate if standards are not high enough.

"Of course we want higher achievement and standards and we are working very hard to achieve this. When Ofsted come back in a year's time that area will have improved."

In their report, the inspectors noted that Mrs Grevett and deputy-head Helen Williamson had formed an "effective working partnership which has won the confidence of parents".

They added: "The quality of teaching is now satisfactory and improving directly as a result of the expectations of senior leaders.

"School leaders appreciate, however, that teaching needs to be even better if pupils in all years are to catch up on the previous years of under-achievement."

Mrs Grevett said the school was in the final stages of drawing up an action plan which will address and tackle the problem areas identified by Ofsted.