KEEP up the good work!

That’s the message Ofsted has just sent out to nine schools in the Huddersfield area.

Ofsted has just published its interim assessments of the schools which were all rated as Good in their previous inspection.

In all cases, the schools have been found to be continuing with their high standards .

And now they have been told that they will not be subject to a full inspection until summer term 2014 or later.

Last September the government inspectorate recently changed its rules about school inspections, which were previously carried out about every three years.

Now schools which are rated as Outstanding or Good in an inspection, will only have a full inspection every five years. But in the meantime they have to undergo a short interim assessment.

Inspectors make a brief visit to the school to check on pupils attainment, progress and attendance and to consider any complaints from parents.

The nine schools which have just been given the seal of approval for another 15 months or more are: King James’s School at Almondbury, Moorlands Primary School at Mount, Outlane, Moldgreen Community Primary School, Netherton Infant and Nursery School, Gilthwaites First School at Denby Dale, Nields Junior, Infant and Nursery School at Slaithwaite, Berry Brow Infant and Nursery School, Thornhill Junior and Infant School and Thornhill Community Academy, both Dewsbury.

A controversial measure which Ofsted introduced at the same time was to change the Grade 3 from Satisfactory to Requiring Improvement.

The move means that there is no longer any middle ground or ‘average’ for schools, They are either considered to be doing well or they are not good enough.

Some local headteachers feel that this latest government measure is placing even more pressure on teaching staff, especially as Ofsted can rate a school as Requiring Improvement even when pupils are making expected progress.