TEACHING and learning is slow to improve at a primary school in special measures, an inspector said.

In November 2010, Wheatley Primary School, Littleworth Road, was told it needed to rapidly accelerate rates of progress and raise attainment.

And the headteacher, senior staff and middle managers were called on to demonstrate “clarity, purpose, vision and ambition”.

Following an Ofsted monitoring inspection at the beginning of November this year, the school was told it had made satisfactory progress since being placed in special measures, and since a previous monitoring inspection earlier this year.

Inspector Jonathan Palk said results of Key Stage One and Two tests were “a mixed picture” and not as high as expected.

While children were making a good start in reception, this did not appear to be sustained to the end of Year Two.

Teaching and learning was “proving slow to improve” at the school, and more opportunities were needed for pupils to work together, sharing skills and solving problems.

Since the school went into special measures, three members of staff have left and a new class has been created to allow all classes to be in single year groups.

Headteacher Joan Morters said: “We are moving forward and doing the right things, progressing towards coming out of special measures within the two-year period, perhaps before that.”