A PRIMARY school has fallen in the eyes of the education watchdog due to concerns over pupil progress and poor assessment methods.

Ofsted inspectors previously praised Highwood Primary School in Woodley when they last visited Fairwater Drive in 2014, but the rating has been downgraded to 'Requires Improvement'.

The effectiveness of leadership, quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils were all below standard, while behaviour and early years provision continued to be good.

However, school leaders are 'confident' that they can improve, with plans already in place to tackle the concerns raised by Ofsted.

The inspection report reads: "Many pupils do not make strong enough progress in their writing and mathematics. This is because teachers do not always have the highest expectations.

"Teachers are not held effectively to account for the progress that pupils are making in their class.

"They do not challenge pupils well enough to deepen their understanding. The assessment system is not effective. Teachers do not use it well enough to plan learning that builds on what pupils already know.

"Pupils’ attitudes to learning in Year 3 are not always positive. Some middle leaders are unsure about their roles and responsibilities. They do not have a great enough impact on the areas for which

they are responsible."

As part of the March visit, Ofsted inspectors noted children in the early years made progress above the national average.

Relationships with parents and carers continued to be strong, with the vast majority likely to recommend the school to another parent.

Matt Hickey, head teacher at Highwood Primary, added: “We are confident we can move our school forward and have already started to address those areas of development outlined in the report while building on our strengths which were also highlighted.

“We would like to thank the many parents who were and continue to be supportive of our school and we look forward to working closely with our whole Highwood community.”