A WEYMOUTH school has been downgraded by Ofsted since its conversion in to an academy.

Officers carried out an unannounced inspection of Chickerell Primary last month and said it ‘Requires Improvement’.

This is a step-down from the ‘Good’ rating received at the last inspection, when it was a school.

The report says the academy – which has 448 pupils – needs improvement in leadership and management, quality of teaching and achievement of pupils.

But in an open letter to staff and governors, Mike Randall – a former headteacher who has been helping the academy – says he is ‘disappointed’ with the rating, which comes following a change in the handbook used by Ofsted inspectors.

He says the changes to the Ofsted handbook will have a ‘massive impact’ on how schools are inspected.

He adds: “My experience also tells me that for the first few months of any new framework, Ofsted inspectors tend to be zealous and adhere closely to every word within the handbook.

“I fear for many schools who will receive an inspection this term – until inspectors are comfortable with all the additions.”

The Ofsted report has been met with a mixed reaction from parents, with one saying Mr Randall’s comments seem to ‘strongly question the validity’ of the rating given.

They criticised the fact that the inspection results were announced via the school’s weekly newsletter and say the academy hasn’t outlined how it plans to improve or set up any parent-teacher meetings.

Headteacher Jody Harris said Chickerell was one of the first schools to be inspected under the ‘tougher inspection framework’.

She added: “The new framework has been designed specifically to ‘raise the bar’ for all schools with a view to delivering continuous improvements in the standards of education that all children in the UK receive.

“By raising the bar I refer specifically to the thresholds of ‘marks’ and scores by which children are judged to have make at least expected progress, if not better than.

“I have made no secret of the fact that I am determined that children in our school should have an outstanding education.

“This will always be our ultimate aim.

“We do know that while there are aspects of the school’s performance to be celebrated, such as the behaviour and safety of pupils and the provision for the Early Years, it has highlighted areas where we need to improve.

“We are totally committed to implementing whatever changes and recommendations the Ofsted report highlights, to ensure that in future, all aspects of the school’s performance are rated at the very least good and that we continue to work towards a school that is even better.

“We know that there are areas on which we need to improve to do better for our children and we will be looking to our already hardworking staff, parents, pupils, senior leaders and governors to deliver what Ofsted require and our children deserve.

“The school has already moved a long way in recent years, but in the coming months we will be looking for much greater consistency across the school and from all those involved with it.

“We welcome the new Ofsted framework, the Inspector’s report and anything else that helps to improve standards in our school.

“There is no better time to implement the changes that these will require than the beginning of the new school year.”

'Quality of teaching must be consistent'

THE REPORT says to ‘improve further’ the school needs to ‘raise the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good’ by ensuring that all teachers:

  • Use information about what each pupil already knows, understands and can do to plan learning opportunities that challenge all pupils to make good progress and close gaps in their learning;
  • Check on pupils’ learning in lessons more frequently and react promptly to adapt the task so that pupils make better progress;
  • Provide marking that helps pupils to understand how to improve their work;
  • Insist on a high standard of presentation and handwriting in pupils’ written work.

Also ‘increase the positive difference that the leadership team makes to raising standards over time by:

  • Implementing comprehensive and systematic checks that focus closely on pupils’ achievement;
  • Ensuring the outcomes of monitoring activities provide staff with clear guidance and areas for improvement which are followed up rigorously to improve quality of teaching.