A SCHOOL which recently appointed a new headteacher and governors in an effort to raise teaching standards has been criticised by Ofsted for making “inadequate progress”.

An Ofsted inspector has published a report on Hadleigh Junior School, off Church Road, Hadleigh, highlighting failings in pupils’ writing ability and numeracy. Overall teaching standards were also found wanting.

The report was described as “deeply disappointing” by the headteacher, Debbie Allen, deputy headteachers, eight school governors and the chair of governors, who were all brought in to raise standards.

In her report, Ofsted inspector Michelle Winter stated: “I am of the opinion at this time the school has made inadequate progress in making improvements and satisfactory progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement.”

Her comments, published on Friday, were part of an interim report checking progress at the school since it was rated “satisfactory with capacity to improve” by Ofsted in July 2009.

This was only one grade above the worst possible rating of “inadequate”.

Chairman of governors Andy Johnston said: “This is an incredibly disappointing result for those of us who have been striving to move the school forward.

“The school would challenge the views with regard to pupil progress. Our examination of the data leads us to conclude progress across the school, in English and maths in all years has risen during the past year.”

Headteacher Debbie Allen added: “We have introduced a lot of new teaching initiatives, for example to improve writing skills, but it is too early for them to have an obvious impact yet on attainment levels.”

One new measure sees pupils sit in silence and write on a subject set by their teacher for at least an hour a week.

Mrs Allen added: “Pupils aren’t normally made to write for a whole hour at a time and it really challenges them to think about what they are doing. We’re also concentrating on improving their grammar and how to make their sentences more exciting.”