ANOTHER school appears to have fallen victim to Ofsted’s new inspection framework after its rating was downgraded - but parents remain supportive.

Pilgrims’ Cross CofE Primary School was visited by inspectors last month. And despite being deemed to be ‘good’ in four of the five assessed categories, the school was given a ‘requires improvement’ rating overall.

The ‘quality of education’ was the only area in which the school was deemed to be slightly sub-satisfactory.

Inspectors said that leaders at the Andover school were not ensuring that pupil’s knowledge builds on what they already know and remember, and that they did not have a secure overview of how the reading curriculum is implemented in some year groups.

The grading comes after Ofsted implemented a new framework last year in which the overall ‘quality of education’ takes priority in inspections, with less emphasis placed on exam results and more on the wider curriculum and how its taught and understood.

The body says it now puts a “a single conversation about education at the centre of inspection” – a conversation that draws together curriculum, teaching, assessment and standards.

However, headteacher Jon Le Fevre says that the new framework could have “serious implications” for primary education.

He also told the Advertiser: “We as a school are disappointed that the new framework did not live up to our expectations. We were hoping it would value the whole Curriculum, with a capital C – i.e the full range of learning experiences.

“Sadly, it seemed to be an audit of the subjects and focused on mainly what the children know and can remember. Learning in our opinion is much more than this.

“So, we continue our full evaluation with our external consultants and with reference to educational research to ensure ‘adventurous learning’ will deliver the very best education for our children. In simple terms, we continue to put our children first.”

Other issues highlights in the recent Ofsted report included “a few staff” not being trained well enough to support SEND pupils, and governors not being clear over pupil premium funding is spent.

However the report also noted a number of positives at the school.

It was rated ‘good’ in terms of its behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision.

The report said that children feel “safe” and are “confident and happy”at the school. They are given the chance to help plan and create resources with their teachers to use in lessons - and they “relish” this responsibility.

It added: “Staff have high expectations for pupils to behave responsibly. Pupils follow staff’s instructions quickly. Classrooms are calm and welcoming places for pupils to learn in. Pupils’ positive attitudes and motivation to learn mean that learning is rarely disrupted by distracting behaviour. Pupils are supervised appropriately by adults at playtimes.”

Parents were also said to be “very supportive of the school and the education their children receive”.

Many of those parents have since come out in support of Pilgrims’ Cross following the publication of the Ofsted report last week.

One parent said: “ A result like that doesn’t show how the children’s best interests are genuinely at heart, from the groundsman, receptionists, all the way up to the headteacher.”

Another added: “I would just like to say that I don’t believe the Ofsted report regarding education. I think the education is outstanding, and I am very happy with how you teach my children.”