INSPECTORS have branded Chalgrove Community Primary School “inadequate” and said teaching is weak and staff have been resistant to change.

Standards watchdog Ofsted has put the 200-pupil primary school on ‘special measures’, asking the local authority to step in to improve the standard of education on offer.

Before the report was published Claire Hague, who has been headteacher for five years, announced her resignation.

A local authority school improvement adviser, Roger Fell, has been appointed acting head.

Inspector Mike Capper said: “Leaders at all levels have not taken effective action to tackle weaknesses in teaching and learning.

“Relationships between leaders and staff are poor and they are not working together well enough to move the school forward.

“This means that the drive for improvement is not secured across the school, causing a major hindrance to improvement over the last year.”

He said despite “pockets” of good teaching, too much was inadequate and teachers’ expectations were too low.

Chairman of governors Judith Bennett said despite the disappointment, the report would be used as an opportunity to improve.

She said: “I have been contacted by so many parents offering supportive comments and asking can they help in any way.

“There is quite a buzz of ‘Let’s get at this’.

“People were understandably very hurt, and even though they could recognise truth in the report, it is still devastating.”

Mrs Bennett said Ofsted had recognised some improvements had already been made leading up to the inspection.

She said she was not yet sure whether there would be further staff changes after Ofsted said there was “some resistance” to change among teachers. She added: “I don’t know how much of that was people feeling frustrated that they could not do the things they wanted quickly enough.”

She added: “Mrs Hague had done some very positive things for the school in the past.

“She has felt frustrated too about things. But we felt it would be right to find a new direction to move on.”

A permanent head is likely to be appointed in September, or January next year.

Oxfordshire County Council spokesman Louise Mendonca said the report was a “significant disappointment”.

She said: “It is clear that the governing body accepts the inspection findings and is determined to take the necessary steps to ensure the school makes progress quickly.”

In recent months, Wheatley Primary School and SS Mary and John in East Oxford have been put on special measures. In Oxford, St Christopher’s, Cowley and John Henry Newman primary schools have been in special measures since 2010.

Cutteslowe Primary School has been given a notice to improve.