A BARTON primary school has been told by inspectors that it needs to improve, as pupils do not make fast enough progress and there are weaknesses in teaching.

Bayards Hill in Waynflete Road was visited by Ofsted inspectors on December 5 last year and given a notice to improve.

Headteacher Keith Ponsford said there was “little” in the report which was not already known to staff and action plans were already in place to address the issues raised.

Lead inspector Lucy Maughan said in the report, published last Friday: “Behaviour requires improvement because pupils’ attitudes to learning are not always good when the teaching does not interest or engage them.

“They are not always provided with enough opportunities to work independently and take responsibility for their own learning.”

It added there was low attendance, but that pupils behaved well around school and were courteous.

The school, which is currently going through a £5.2m building scheme to update its old classrooms, caters for about 450 pupils.

Mr Ponsford said: “While the overall finding of the Ofsted report in December 2013 was “notice to improve” the report identifies many significant improvements and very positive trends in pupils’ attainment.

“Some of the levels of progression – for those pupils on free school meals (over 45 per cent) was better than the national average, as was provision for pupils with English as a second language.

“The ambition of governors is for the school to be judged as “good” – that is we achieve academic results which meet the national average as well as providing a positive, safe and stimulating environment for pupils.

“This ambition is shared by all the teaching staff and we have plans in place which we are confident will achieve that goal.

“There was little in the report which was new and action plans to address some of the recommendations were already planned.

“The report reinforces our determination to improve the school’s overall attainment.

“It is pleasing that the inspectors spoke highly of the ethos of the school, that incidences of bullying were low and that pupils feel safe in school and have confidence in the staff.

“This reflects the school’s determination not to tolerate bullying in any form.

“It was pleasing that the inspectors spoke so highly of the pupils, the respect they show each other and their contribution to school life.

“We feel that there is much to celebrate in the report but still a lot to do to achieve our goal of the best possible education for all our pupils.”