THE headteacher of the primary which posted the worst SAT test results in Oxfordshire last night insisted her school was improving.

Rose Hill Primary School, which entered 31 pupils for Key Stage Two national curriculum tests, scored 45 per cent in English, 26 per cent in maths and 61 per cent in science at four level – the standard the Government expects pupils to reach prior to leaving primary school.

The aggregate score of 132 was the lowest in the county and 168 off the expected level of 300.

Headteacher Sue Mortimer, who joined the struggling school in September 2007, said the results were “not unexpected”.

She said: “The school was placed in special measures in January 2007. When schools go into special measures it’s an indication there’s something very seriously wrong.

“Ofsted said we need to improve standards and achievements in English, maths and science, the quality of teaching and learning throughout the school, and attendance. The first two tell you everything.”

In July last year, Ofsted inspectors returned to the school and said it had improved “beyond all recognition”.

They praised Mrs Mortimer and said she had helped to transform a school where standards were low and achievement inadequate, into a place where children loved to learn.

Its aggregate scores for English, maths and science in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 were 203, 195, 226 and 132 respectively.

Mrs Mortimer denied last year’s exam results were a setback, rather “a point in the continuum” of the school’s progress, which would see vastly improved results this summer.

She said: “In May last year we were a school in special measures.

“We’re a very different school compared to last year, even July last year, and I’m absolutely confident we are going in the right direction.

“There’s no reason why children from Rose Hill can’t be among the best. The predictions for this year’s results are much better.”

Mrs Mortimer said her strategy to improve the school involved working closely with parents, pupils and teachers.

She said: “The quality of teaching and learning, as well as attendance and punctuality, have all hugely improved and attitudes have changed.”

On average, pupils in Oxfordshire scored 82 per cent in English, 79 per cent in maths and 88 per cent in science last year, an aggregate of 249.

Seven county primary schools achieved 300, Combe, Ewelme, Nettle-bed, Woodstock, App-leton, and Cropredy and Shenington, near Banbury. Rose Hill is one of seven struggling Oxfordshire primary schools bidding for a share of a £900,000 fund set aside by the county council to improve pupil performance, for example by hiring extra teachers or improving computing facilities for pupils.

tshepherd@oxfordmail.co.uk