WILLOWS Primary School will be forced to become an academy after being judged as inadequate in its most recent Ofsted report.
As reported, the school, in Queensway, Grimsby, has been placed in special measures by Ofsted after inspectors found that it did not meet the required standards in three out of four key fields – achievement, leadership and teaching.
As a result, the school is expected to convert in either April or September next year, headteacher Angela MacDermid confirmed, yesterday.
It will be sponsored by the Schools Partnership Trust, which took on three other local schools that converted this year – Weelsby Primary Academy, Strand Primary Academy and Macaulay Primary Academy.
However, Mrs MacDermid felt that the inspection – which took place in the last ten days of the last school year – did not tell the whole story.
"The decision seems to be data-led, which means that if a certain percentage of children don't reach the required level-four in their English and maths SATS test in Year Six, then the school must be inadequate," she said.
"However, our pupils do make the required two levels progress in English and maths while they are here, yet many come to us at a lower level," she added.
Mrs Macdermid said that the school was improving standards before the inspection, with the percentage of children reaching level four in English and maths increasing every year.
She also said that being in special measures will help the school improve, with more resources becoming available.
"We have been able to release my deputy from teaching so we can work together with the local authority on looking at how we can improve attainment," she said.
There was a mixed response from parents. Victoria Carrick, 26, of Bader Close, said: "My daughter has come on leaps and bounds since she has been here."
Michelle Stiff, 43, of Bader Close, said: "I don't like the way my son is treated by the teachers but his learning seems to be ok."
However, other parents, who preferred to remain anonymous, said: "I don't think there's enough discipline in the school – the kids seem to get away with anything."
As reported, four other schools have been inspected since September and judged as "improvement required" under a new framework introduced this year.
Heads from Welholme Primary, Springfield Primary and Reynolds Primary also had their say, but Coomb Briggs declined to comment.
Andy Willett, headteacher of Springfield Primary School, pointed out that the school's results were above average in English and maths at Key Stage 1 and 2, and that maths results for 11-year-olds in 2012 were the highest in North East Lincolnshire, with 100 per cent getting a level four or higher.
He said: "The children continue to do well against national indicators.
"We take on board the areas of improvement that Ofsted have highlighted, but maintain that our children get a good education.
Delyse Turrell, headteacher of Welhome Primary School said: "We recognise the improvements which need to be made.
"The inspectors did, however, recognise that improvements in attainment had been achieved last year and the staff are working hard to ensure this trend continues."
Sue Pritlove, headteacher of Reynolds Primary School, said: "The school recognises that work needs to be done to improve attainment and the action points from the inspection are being used to drive that improvement.
"We are also pleased with the support that is being provided through the National College linking our school with a national leader in education."
