GOVERNMENT inspectors have told a village primary school near Worcester that it must improve.

Norton Juxta Kempsey CE First School was marked down for its overall effectiveness in a recent Ofsted inspection.

The report said: "This school requires significant improvement because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform.

The school is therefore given a notice to improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to raising achievement and standards."

The report said standards had declined since the last inspection and the school knew many pupils made inadequate progress.

There were weaknesses in the provision for more able pupils in the school, who were not always fully challenged.

Inspectors said many pupils under-achieved by the time they left the school, but a legacy of inadequate teaching had contributed to unsatisfactory progress and improvements were now being made.

Despite their criticisms, the inspectors praised pupils' personal development, saying their good attendance reflected positive attitudes and enjoyment of school.

They said: "Their behaviour is outstanding and they work hard. They are independent, generally self-reliant, and work well with each other."

Inspectors noted the prolonged absence of the headteacher had led to considerable changes in staffing arrangements, and commended acting headteacher Julia Dean on good leadership skills that had raised staff morale and made a good start in introducing strategies to combat under-achievement.

The inspectors added: "There is an emerging sense of common purpose among the school community.

All these recent developments are helping the school to ensure pupils make up the lost ground from the past as quickly as they can."

Chairman of governors Mike Goode said the school had already recognised issues highlighted by the inspectors and they had realised children had not been making as much progress as they should.

"In particular, that applies to our more able pupils. We are working closely with the local authority and are taking steps to address this matter," he said.

Governors were pleased about positive areas in the report, including care arran-gements and pastoral care, relationships between staff and pupils, pupils' personal development and behaviour, and the many extra-curricular sporting and other activities.

Mr Goode said Julia Dean had made a good start in introducing appropriate strategies to bring about the improvements needed, the management team had been strengthened and senior managers had recently taken up their positions. He said: "It is too early to fully measure the impact but the signs are positive.

"Had Ofsted visited us later in the year the improvements in teaching and learning would have had more time to have an impact and we are determined to ensure this will be the case when Ofsted return in year's time."