A PRIMARY school has maintained its “good” rating following a visit from Ofsted.

Whitchurch Church of England Primary School was visited by the education watchdog on March 15, and in a letter published on April 25, inspector Matthew Barnes said: “The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.”

The school, in Daniel Road, Whitchurch, was previously inspected in January 2011 when it was graded as “good”.

In a letter to headteacher Kate Steven, Mr Barnes said: “You have already made a significant impact at the school since your arrival. This is because you have led with authority, passion and empathy. Following a period of instability at the school, you have quickly gained the respect of the community. Your calm and clear approach has brought much needed stability to the school.”

He added: “You are right to have identified the need to focus on leadership and management immediately. Most of the leaders at the school are either new to the school or new to leadership.

“They show much potential and are already benefitting from your experience as a leader. However, too much is currently reliant on you.

“The local authority has been quick to realise this and has already put in extra support to strengthen the skills of other leaders until you establish the leadership team that is needed.”

The inspector found that teachers plan lessons that are “engaging” and help pupils make “rapid and sustained progress from their starting points”.

He added that disadvantaged pupils make very good progress.

Mr Barnes said the governors had “bravely waited” to appoint the “right person to lead the school”.

He added: “Your appointment is testament to their strategic influence, as you have already identified the precise issues that need tackling at the school and that had not been picked up well enough in the past.”

The inspector found the quality of teaching was good, but said sometimes the most able pupils are not challenged enough.

He found pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are “a credit to the school and the community”.