A DORCHESTER area school has dropped from ‘outstanding’ to ‘good’ in its latest Ofsted report.

Frome Valley First School at Crossways has been rated good with outstanding features by inspectors following a recent inspection.

It showed a drop from last year in pupil achievements, quality of teaching and leadership and management.

But the behaviour and safety of pupils remained ‘outstanding’.

Also highlighted was that governors and staff ‘fully share high aspirations’ for the school and ‘fully safeguard the children’s welfare’.

The report said the school could improve by allowing pupils more time to write independently and at length, and by holding less whole-class discussions which delay pupils’ progress.

Headteacher Julie Thorp said the report reflects new changes to Ofsted guidelines and was judged fairly.

She added: “Frome Valley was found to be good with outstanding features and we feel this is a fair reflection, considering all the changes that have occurred over the last three years and the fact that we are being assessed against the new Ofsted standards.

“We are particularly pleased that the behaviour and safety of pupils was graded as outstanding and that the report recognised the children’s excellent attitudes to learning as well as the school’s particular strengths of reading and mathematics.”

What the report says: Achievement of pupils is ‘good’ – attainment standards are above average with quickening progress, but pupils sometimes do not have enough opportunity to write independently.

Quality of teaching is ‘good’ – with some outstanding, but whole-class discussions delay pupils. Reading and mathematics are particular strengths.

Behaviour and safety of pupils is ‘outstanding’ – pupils say ‘this is a lovely school with very kind children and adults’.

Additional adult guidance is ‘expertly planned to meet needs’.

Leadership and management is ‘good’ – teachers are supported well by committed teaching assistants. The headteacher provides ‘strong leadership’ and governors and staff share high aspirations.

CHANGES in the way Ofsted inspects schools came into play on September 1 last year.

Before the changes, inspectors could judge schools to be ‘inadequate’, ‘satisfactory’, ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’.

In the new framework, the satisfactory grade has become ‘requires improvement’, while the other categories remain the same.

It aims to show that ‘satisfactory’ is now unsatisfactory and that more schools should be pushing for the higher rating of ‘good’.

A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate and will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of the previous one.