A HEADTEACHER has raised concerns about the consistency of Ofsted checks after a linked primary and nursery school inspected weeks apart received wildly different reports.

West Kidlington Primary School was given a notice to improve by Ofsted following an inspection in December that found it failed to meet new Government requirements on safeguarding.

But West Kidlington Nursery, which shares the same governing body, buildings and headteacher, was rated good when it was inspected just two months later on February 9 and 10.

Eugene Symonds, who is headteacher of both schools but was on secondment during the time of the primary school inspection, said: “Although Ofsted tries very, very hard to deliver inspections in a consistent way, it felt like a completely different experience to members of staff.

“I recognise the school when I read the nursery report, I don't recognise the school when I read the primary report.”

Pip Marples, who was acting headteacher at the time of the two inspections, earlier branded the primary school’s failure as down to bureaucracy.

The school was rated inadequate overall because of the safeguarding failing, which was down to some gaps in the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) data held at the school, which in turn meant leadership and management had to be deemed below-par.

But at the nursery inspection, the school passed safeguarding with flying colours, with inspector Sue Vale commenting the procedures were “well-organised and adhered to” and risk assessments regularly and efficiently carried out.

Mr Symonds said: “This is a lovely place. We are very pleased that the strengths and hard work of the nursery team have been recognised but equally, where is the parity in this?

“If the governing body is doing the same thing, it is the same doors and the same four walls, the same support systems and same policies in place, how can the team that came in December have come to such a different conclusion?”

As well as a good overall rating, the nursery was described as outstanding in terms of making children feel safe, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, behaviour, care guidance and support, and promotion of equal opportunities and tackling discrimination.

Mr Marples said: “When inspectors came round the nursery, our admin staff had been working like anything to make sure the CRB was a work of art, and we already feel that we have put the issue right.

“The problem is that now we have been given a notice to improve they have to come back and inspect the whole caboodle, which is disappointing.

“We were all very pleased for the nursery staff, but in a way we feel a bit more fed up about the outcome of the primary inspection.”

fbardsley@oxfordmail.co.uk Both reports can be seen in full at ofsted.gov.uk