GOVERNMENT inspectors said Gorse Hill Primary School not only failed to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education, but its managers were also failing to carry out the necessary improvements.

In a damning report, inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) said the school judged itself to be satisfactory because of recent improvements in writing and pupils' good behaviour and attitudes.

However, the inspectors, who visited the school in Hollymount Road, Tolladine, in March, placed the school on special measures and found overall achievement was inadequate in English and maths.

"The quality of teaching is inadequate. Weaknesses in assessment means that pupils' progress is not tracked well enough," said their report.

There was, however, some praise for the standards in science, where pupils were found to make good progress, as well as in writing.

Standards were found to be satisfactory in the foundation stage and pupils in all age groups were found to receive high-quality personal care and support and made good progress in their personal development.

But inspectors said the school had made little improvement since its inspections six years before and the slow rate of progress showed staff did not have the capacity to improve matters with sufficient urgency.

The report says: "The inadequate quality of the teaching explains the poor progress of the pupils. Some good teaching was observed during the inspection but too often pupils' learning is not well enough matched to their different ages and stages of development."

It also says: "Despite recent improvements, the quality of leadership and management is inadequate."

The headteacher at the time of the inspection left before the end of last term and Vivienne Cranton has taken over as of this term.

Nigel Allen, who was acting headteacher before Mrs Cranton's arrival, said: "We have already made some improvements and will continue to do so.

"The teachers and pupils of Gorse Hill Community Primary School are very committed and dedicated and will do whatever it takes to ensure the school recovers."

Mr Allen said numeracy standards had already improved by the end of last term, and Year 6's SATs result for maths were the best in the history of the school.

"The Ofsted report wasn't all bad," he said.

"It also highlighted some

of the excellent work that we are doing in the school with our pupils.

"Such as the personal development and well-being of pupils and the supportive systems we have in place for vulnerable children. Parents can be reassured that we will put right what went wrong and that we have already achieved this in some areas."

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