A primary school at the centre of a major expansion plan is not good enough.

Ofsted inspectors have just downgraded Reinwood Community Junior School to 3-Requires Improvement. It was previously rated as 2-Good in July 2011.

The verdict means that the school will be regularly monitored by Ofsted to ensure improvements take place.

Kirklees Council is backing plans to admit 210 more pupils to the junior school and Reinwood Infant and Nursery School. This would bring the combined total to around 840.

But local residents and councillors have expressed concern at the impact this would have on nearby roads.

Teachers, school leaders and governors at the 350-pupil primary school all came in for criticism from Ofsted.

The report, published yesterday, stated: “A large proportion of teaching requires improvement. “Too often, teachers do not take account of what pupils already know and understand. This slows pupils’ learning and progress, particularly that of the most able.

“Although leaders analyse the progress of individual pupils, they have not measured progress accurately enough or set ambitious targets, based on the end of Key Stage 1 performance.

“Governors are not checking carefully enough on how well additional funding, such as the pupil premium, impacts on pupils’ progress. Nor do they check robustly enough on decisions about teacher’s pay progression.”

The report did praise Reinwood’s support for pupils with special needs, its curriculum and pupils’ progress in writing.

It also acknowledged the school’s excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils and their good behaviour.

Inspectors observed 18 lessons, analysed work in pupils’ books and heard them read.

They also held meetings with all concerned parties and took account of 49 responses from the online questionnaire Parent View.

Acting headteacher Sue Spooner said: “The inspection found a number of strengths and clearly these are areas we will continue to develop.

“In addition, attainment is good. The percentage of our children achieving the key measure in their SATs (Level 4 in reading, writing and maths) was comfortably above this year’s national average.

“There is no doubt that our children achieve well, but Ofsted’s view is that we require improvement because pupils could make even better progress.

“This is something we strive towards on a day-to-day basis – it is our commitment to every pupil – but we are also taking specific action as a result of Ofsted’s advice.

“The report highlights areas of good teaching and one of our key aims is to ensure that all teaching across the school becomes consistent so that it reaches the same high standard.

“Ofsted’s overall judgement is disappointing, but we are viewing this inspection as a positive process which will help us to move the school forward.

“We are confident that the work already taking place, and the further work which will now begin, will support local children to be the best that they can.”

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