DARWEN pupils have said they were concerned about the way ‘bullying was handled’ at their primary school, according to an Ofsted report.


Trinity Primary School, in Bank Top, was given a ‘Requires Improvement’ grade in its recent inspection.


The primary school has around 250 pupils aged from four to 11-years-old.


It was told it needs to improve its leadership and management, quality of teaching, personal behaviour, outcome of its pupils and early years provision.


Within the report, Aelwyn Pugh, the lead inspector, said the school had three different leaders in the past two years and has ‘considerable instability in staffing’.


However, Mr Pugh said the interim headteacher, Victoria Milne, provides strong leadership and along with her colleagues has made ‘considerable improvements’ to the school.

MORE TOP STORIES:


Mr Pugh said: “Teachers do not always use correct grammar when talking to pupils or writing on the board.


“Pupils complain that their lessons are too often disturbed by others’ poor behaviour.


“Some are concerned about the way that bullying is handled.


“Attendance has been poor for specific groups over the last three years.
“Persistent absence has also been high.


“Attendance has improved this year and is currently in line with the most recent national average.


“However, there is still a considerable degree of persistent absence.


“There is too little focus on developing pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar.”


The school was given a ‘Good’ rating by the standards body in 2012.


The report also said the additional funding to develop physical education and sports and to support disadvantaged pupils was used appropriately.


He said: “The curriculum is broad and balanced and provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong.


“To improve, the leadership must check regularly with parents and pupils that they are satisfied with the way that incidents of bullying have been handled.


“They should reduce the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from school. They should reduce the recent disruption to staffing by appointing experienced, well-qualified staff, on a permanent basis, to the senior and middle-management teams.”


The school not available for comment.