BUDE Junior School has been rated as ‘inadequate’ in its latest Ofsted inspection.

Ofsted visited the school on December 12 and 13 and rated it on four key criteria — effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare and outcomes for pupils.

Three of those criteria were found to ‘require improvement’ while two — the effectiveness of leadership and management — was found to be ‘inadequate’.

In the school’s previous inspection, which took place in November 2014, the school was rated as ‘good’. This time inspectors considered the school inadequate for a number of reasons, including that school leaders lack the capacity to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school quickly enough. The executive headteacher and senior colleagues also lead the neighbouring infant school. They have not had a sufficient impact on improving the junior school, the report said.

The report also stated that school leaders are not effectively addressing weaknesses in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and do not monitor teaching with sufficient robustness, which means that as a result, where there is weak teaching, it is not addressed effectively.

In addition, the executive headteacher was found not to be managing the performance of teachers effectively while middle leaders were not effective in improving the quality of English and mathematics. This is because they are not given the necessary time and resources to have an impact, according to the report.

Other points made were that leaders do not have sufficiently clear oversight of the reading curriculum, which as a result means that pupils do not make consistently good progress in all year groups.

In some classes, pupils do not make as much progress as they should because teachers do not give them enough work that challenges them and allows them to reach the highest standards while the most able pupils are not routinely stretched and do not achieve the greater depth of understanding in English and mathematics of which they are capable.

In addition, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are not given the additional support with their learning that they need to make good progress.

The final key finding was that the curriculum is too narrow. The report said it does not prepare pupils sufficiently for the next stage of their education.

However, a number of strengths were noted in the report.

These included that standards in 2017 at the end of Key Stage 2 were in line with those in other schools. This was largely the result of effective teaching in Year 6 .

Also, school leaders are successfully improving the behaviour of pupils, particularly those who have social, emotional or mental health issues. There is a good breadth of support in place for these pupils.

In response, Bude Junior School, said: “Governors and staff at Bude Junior School have pledged to work together to build on the many strengths identified by Ofsted inspectors and to address the areas for improvement.

“The report published highlights a number of key strengths, including: ‘Standards in 2017 at the end of Key Stage 2 were in line with those in other schools. This was largely the result of effective teaching in Year 6’, and school leaders are successfully improving the behaviour of pupils, particularly those who have social, emotional or mental health issues. There is a good breadth of support in place for these pupils’.

“However, the report also highlights concerns over some aspects of the effectiveness of leadership and management. These issues are being addressed in the school’s action plan, which is in the process of being finalised by governors and the leadership team in conjunction with the local authority.”

Acting headteacher, Mrs Dominique Dyer, said: “It is a privilege to have been brought in to work with such a committed and cohesive staff who are working tirelessly to drive rapid improvement across the school. Providing an outstanding education through an exciting curriculum that enables pupils to thrive in a happy, nurturing environment is our priority.”

Chair of governors, Candi Hulley, said: “Governors were disappointed by the outcome of the Ofsted report since as the inspectors recognised there have been some significant improve­ments both in terms of results, and in the behaviour of pupils. However, we acknowledge the weaknesses that have been highlighted by the report and will work hard in conjunction with staff and the local authority to address these weaknesses. This work has already started, and we are committed to ensuring that changes are made as quickly as possible. We all wish to see the school deliver the best educational outcomes for its pupils and this remains the focus of our efforts.”

A Cornwall Council spokesman said: “Cornwall Council can confirm that Bude Junior School has been judged to have serious weaknesses and requires significant improvement following its Section 5 Ofsted inspection, which took place in December 2017. The Local Authority has taken all necessary steps to provide advice, guidance and support to the school to ensure that it makes rapid and sustainable progress as it addresses the areas for improvement identified by Ofsted. Additional intervention and support will continue to be provided by the local authority in line with its statutory duties.”

To view the full Ofsted report on Bude Junior School, visit https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/