A WEST Dorset school continues to require improvement after a recent inspection found pupils were not making enough progress and teaching was inconsistent.

Bridport Primary School was inspected by Ofsted on March 19 and 20 and maintained its ‘requires improvement’ rating, which was found in effectiveness of leadership and management, quality of teaching learning and assessment and outcomes for pupils and early years provision. The school was found to be ‘good’ in personal development, behaviour and welfare.

The inspector found that pupils are not making enough progress because of “inconsistent teaching” and progress in maths is not as strong as in literacy because “pupils are not challenged and supported well by some teachers”.

Disadvantaged pupils are also not yet making effective progress in all year groups.

Reception teachers were found to not continuously assess children’s progress, which has resulted in Children’s progress being too slow and too few children exceeding their early learning goals.

While planning, delivery of lessons and assessment policies were generally followed, some teachers were not planning effectively for the different groups in their classes and expectations were too low. As a result, pupils’ work is incomplete and poorly presented.

The report recognised that the school is aware of these issues and that leaders have a more robust plan in place to address them, but this has not yet had time to have an impact.

The inspector noted that trustees have overseen a “turbulent time” in staffing and have appointed an interim headteacher who has “hit the ground running”. Since then, “she is making significant changes to improve school standards and pupils progress” and attendance has improved. A new headteacher is due to start in September.

The most vulnerable pupils were found to be well supported with pupils studying a “rich and exciting curriculum” and pupils behave well when learning and at social times.

Relationships between pupils and teachers are strong and pupils are safe and know how to keep themselves safe.

Kay Taylor, executive principal of the Minerva Learning Trust, said: “We are obviously disappointed that we are not yet good in all areas.

“We have faced a number of challenges and turbulence in staffing over the last two years, but it is pleasing to see the progress that has been made and that personal development, behaviour and attendance are all now good.

“We know that there is still work to do and we look forward to tackling these remaining areas under our new leadership in September.”