A primary school has complained to Ofsted after inspectors downgraded it and labelled parts of the curriculum “underdeveloped”.

The Grove Academy was inspected over two days in November last year, and apparently felt good about its chances of a high grade after inspectors spoke positively about leadership, pastoral support, the curriculum and more.

However, in a report published yesterday (February 28), the schools watchdog said that the “underdeveloped” curriculum in some subjects means pupils leave "underprepared for the next stage of their education".

The school, in Fourth Avenue, Garston, was found ‘good’ across four categories, but according to Ofsted the quality of education needing improvement let it down and led to an overall grade of ‘requires improvement’.

In the report, inspectors said: “Pupils experience a broad curriculum that generally helps them to develop their understanding of the world.

“However, in some subjects, pupils do not make as much progress as they should."

It added that the school has experienced changes in leadership and staffing, meaning that although the school’s trust, Aspire Academies Trust, has worked to stabilise the situation, “the good quality of education has not been maintained.”

A new revised curriculum is “at various stages of implementation” and therefore “some pupils are not achieving as well as they could across the full range of subjects that they learn about”.

The school has been tasked with building on the work it has already done to improve the curriculum and implement it consistently well in all subjects.

Get a Watford Observer digital subscription for just £1 | Watford Observer

Principal Mrs Hennigan said: “We heard the inspection team speak at length about our school, much of it hugely positive, which unfortunately does not appear in the short report.

"We feel that these comments are reflected in the four good judgements that we received but does not align with the fifth grading of 'requires improvement' for the quality of education. 

“As we disagree with this grading, and do not feel that the inspection was conducted in line with the school inspection framework, we have made a complaint to Ofsted asking them to review the process of the inspection and the outcome for the quality of education grading."

She added that she is “proud” of the staff and pupils and looks forward to showcasing the school at the next inspection.