AN OXFORD primary school has been put into special measures – leaving parents to quiz governors on why it had performed so poorly.

St Christopher’s Primary School, in Cowley, received Ofsted’s lowest grade in an inspection.

Inspector Graham Lee said it needed “special measures” because it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and criticised the school’s leadership.

Last night, headteacher of four years Alison Holden said: “The governors and the staff at St Christopher’s are working together to look at the issues raised by the inspectors and we are now actively putting together an action plan to start making necessary improvements.”

Chairman of governors Biddy Hudson wrote to parents inviting them to a meeting last night, to hear their concerns and tell them what was being done to improve the school’s performance.

In her letter, Ms Hudson said: “The local authority will be working closely with the school in all the areas for improvement, and bringing in any necessary expertise.

“All members of staff are already fully committed to this programme and are working hard to ensure that our school improves.”

In the report, the 339-pupil school in Temple Road, which has pupils from at least 15 different countries, was described as “happy and caring” but let down by inadequate academic achievement.

Standards had fallen and were too low, the report said, and teaching was not consistently challenging enough to raise standards.

Pupils from Pakistani backgrounds were highlighted as having underachieved, with efforts to redress the situation unsuccessful. Leadership, which was rated inadequate, was not distributed widely enough, it said.

The school’s nursery, however, was praised, receiving a good rating with Mr Lee remarking that children made “very good progress” despite low starting points.

In 2006, the school was rated satisfactory.

A spokesman for Oxfordshire County Council said: “The county council is currently in the process of drawing up a statement of action which will outline the support it will be giving to the school to help it improve.”

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