Budbrooke Primary school is put into ‘special measures’

Budbrooke Primary School in Hampton Magna was inspected last December when, despite the enthusiasm of many members of staff, insufficient training and serious weaknesses were detected.

As reported previously in the Courier, headteacher 
Carol Taylor had been absent from the school for some time and is since understood to have left.

Inspectors - who will now return regularly to monitor progress - reported that neither the head, nor the governors had not done enough to maintain or improve the quality of teaching, or the standards the pupils attained.

Last night (Thursday) Matthew Bennett, vice-chairman of the governors, invited parents to a meeting to discuss the findings of the report.

These included the claim that the governors had not been effective in holding the school to account and the head had not managed the performance of her teachers properly.

Inspectors said deputy head Pat Mills was currently leading the school with others who are also inexperienced in leadership.

It was also found that progress across the year groups was inconsistent and that disabled pupils with special educational needs were not always making enough progress in Key Stage 2.

A Warwickshire County Council spokeswoman said: “The county is very disappointed with the result of Budbrooke Primary School’s Ofsted inspection in December. The report identifies that teachers at the school are enthusiastic and structure most lessons well...the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good, that they show thoughtfulness towards each other...”

Relationships were mostly good, attendance above average and the inspectors recognised the school was receiving external support from the council and is already demonstrating improvements.