A ROSSENDALE school has been given the lowest-possible rating by Ofsted for having 'inadequate' pupil outcomes.

St Mary's RC Primary School in Bacup was inspected by the education watchdog in June.

In a report published this week, Ofsted concluded that the school's leadership, teaching, assessment, learning, behaviour, welfare and persona development require improvement.

The early years provision was assessed to be 'good' but the lowest grade for pupil outcomes saw the Tong Lane school receive an 'inadequate' rating.

Lead inspector Lyn Pender said: "Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are low.

"Too many pupils are working at a level that is below that expected for their age.

"Despite a recent improvement in the proportion of pupils making the progress expected of them, too few do better than this.

"Progress rates are uneven across the school.

"Gaps in attainment between the outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally, although closing, are still too wide.

"The quality of teaching is inconsistent. A legacy of weak teaching in the past and staffing changes have had a significantly negative impact on pupils’ learning.

"Pupils are not challenged enough, particularly the most able.

"At times, pupils’ attention drifts, particularly when learning lacks challenge."

However, Ofsted said that the school had a number of strengths including the new headteacher making a 'rapid impact on most aspects of the school's work', the safeguarding procedures being 'effective' and teachers using 'good subject knowledge' to plan learning that 'captures the interests of pupils'.

The inspectors also said that appointments by governors have 'strengthened leadership and stabilised staffing' and that children make a 'good start' in early years because of 'effective support and good teaching'.

Headteacher Kathryn Bishop-Horsfield said: "We welcome the inspectors' comments and were please that they recognised the rapid progress the school is making.

"Under the new inspection framework, we were considered to be inadequate in just one area - outcomes for pupils. This led to us getting this particular rating.

"The inspectors noted that during this time there has been a rapid improvement to most aspects of the school’s work in the year since I joined the school as its new headteacher.

"The inspection team were very positive about a number of areas. They were particularly impressed with the Early Years Provision, which they rated as Good.

"Pupils’ progress has improved, particularly in reading and mathematics, and in the current year five and year six, is rapid.

"They also found areas in which we need to improve. Plans were already in place, well before the Ofsted inspection, to accelerate our pupils’ progress and improve standards of teaching and learning across the school."