Four years after being deemed ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted, Kingsfield Primary School in Chatteris has been removed from special measures.

Inspectors said that interim head teacher Anne Robertson “had put the spark back into Kingsfield” and “made significant inroads into improving the quality of education at the school”.

The school, which has 407 pupils aged two to 11, has been judged as ‘good’ in terms of personal development, behaviour and welfare and in early years provision.

However, it received an overall judgement of ‘requires improvement’ for effectiveness of leadership and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment and outcomes for pupils.

The report states that “although improving, the quality of teaching across the school is too variable. Some pupils are not effectively supported and do not achieve as well as they could.

“The most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged, are not sufficiently challenged in lessons, so do not make the progress they are capable of.”

It adds “teachers do not use assessment information well enough when they plan pupils’ learning. Consequently, in some lessons, work is either too difficult or too easy”.

Inspectors did however say that leaders “have not had sufficient time to make the necessary improvements”.

The report states a number of positive elements within the school’s early years, including that all children “make increasingly rapid progress” and that it provides “a positive start to their schooling and prepares them well for the next stage in their education.”

Sian Pritchard, who starts her role as head teacher at Kingsfield this month, said: “We are delighted that the improvements in the quality of teaching and assessment resulting in improved progress have been recognised, as well as the significant changes to the quality of early years’ provision resulting in good outcomes for these children.”

Inspectors said that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities make good progress “because their needs are understood well” and that “pupils are motivated, behave well and have positive attitudes towards learning”.

The report also states that “the head teacher and deputy head teacher have acted quickly to improve the quality of teaching and assessment. As a result, pupils, especially in Key Stage 2, are making improved progress in reading, writing and mathematics”.

Kingsfield’s sponsor, the Active Learning Trust, also received praise from inspectors. The report states that “leaders have been successful in establishing an effective governing body and a leadership team which has the right skills to secure improvement.”

Gary Peile, chief executive of the Active Learning Trust, said: “This Ofsted report shows that the hard work of the whole team in and around Kingsfield - staff, pupils and parents - is now paying off.

“It’s great to see that two Ofsted judgements are now good and others are within touching distance.

“I am delighted Sian Pritchard has joined Kingsfield to take forward the work of the school’s previous head teacher, Anne Robertson, and the trust is delighted that Anne has remained as hub lead to support Sian in this new exciting role.”