BURROWMOOR School, March, has dropped a rating following its latest Ofsted inspection which says that whilst improvements have happened “there is not enough consistently good teaching.”

Three years after its last Ofsted report which rated the 106 pupil school as ‘good’, a fresh inspection in February concluded it was now only ‘satisfactory’ in four of the five main categories assessed.

Only in behaviour and safety of pupils – which Ofsted concluded involved a “culture of respect in the school that is highly valued by pupils and parents and carers alike” – did Burrowmoor attain a ‘good’ rating.

“Attainment in writing, while improving, is not at national expectations in all year groups,” says the Ofsted report. “Pupils have weaknesses in their grammar and do not always have sufficient opportunities to practice their literacy skills in other subjects.”

Inspectors observed 30 lessons by 17 teachers and scrutinised 201 questionnaires returned by parents and carers before reaching their conclusions.

The inspectors concluded pupils “have positive attitudes to learning” and in the pre nursery and nursery there was “high quality provision”.

The Ofsted team found examples of good practice throughout Burrowmoor but said these were not consistent.

“In the best lessons pupils have opportunities to shape their own learning and develop independence, but this is not widespread across the school,” they said. The report does, however, praise head teacher Anna Traer-Goffe and her deputy for “driving improvement and ensuring that more of the teaching is good or better.”

Ofsted’s team said they want standards and achievement in writing to improve, more able pupils to be challenged more, and for lessons to be conducted at a brisker pace.

The Ofsted report offers special praise for pupils who they conclude “treat one another with respect and are invariably courteous to staff and other adults.”