A PRIMARY school has been told it requires improvement for the second time.

Although improvements at Stanley Drapkin primary in Steeple Bumpstead were acknowledged by Ofsted, inspectors ruled further progress was needed.

In a report published last week, the school was rated as “good” in early years provision and personal development, behaviour and welfare, but “requires improvement” in effectiveness of leadership and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, outcomes for pupils and overall effectiveness at previous inspection.

The Ofsted report’s key findings state: “Although there have been many improvements to the school since the previous inspection, weaknesses remain in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

“As a result, the progress that pupils make varies too much between subjects and year groups.”

The report added: “Too few pupils read widely and often.

“Attainment in reading at the end of Key Stage Two in 2016 was below the national average.

“Teachers do not plan lessons effectively to meet the needs of the most able pupils.

“Consequently, these pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable.

“Pupils do not make good progress in geography, history or science.

“Too often, the work that teachers set in these subjects lacks challenge, and expectations around what pupils can achieve are too low.”

However, the report stated personal development and welfare were outstanding, while children were proud of their school, behaved well and tried hard in lessons.

The school ensures that disadvantaged pupils make good progress, narrowing the gap between them and other pupils.

The teaching of writing and maths has improved significantly over the past two years since the previous report.

Head teacher Mary Nicholls said: “We were slightly disheartened to see that we were still rated as requires improvement.

“But we are pleased that they have acknowledged that we have improved since our last Ofsted report in 2014.

"The Ofsted report acknowledged that we improved in areas we knew we had improved and stated we needed to improve in areas that we were aware we need to improve on.”