AN academy trust has said an Ofsted report stating the school requires improvement is “fair and accurate”, having previously been rated Outstanding.

Beckfoot Allerton Primary School was rated requires improvement by Ofsted in its first inspection since the Beckfoot Trust took over the school.

Its last inspection as Allerton Primary, before Beckfoot took over, had seen the school rated Outstanding.

Areas where improvement is needed include the quality of teaching, a lack of subject knowledge, and poor outcomes for pupils.

The report said: “The newly established senior leadership team has secured some vital improvements to the quality of teaching.

“However, teaching is not consistently good across all year groups. Too often, teachers lack vital subject knowledge, particularly in reading and mathematics.

“For the last two years, pupils’ outcomes at the end of Key Stage 2 have been poor. Current pupils’ progress is improving but remains variable in all key stages.

“Leaders are at the early stages of ensuring that teaching is effective for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs or disabilities.

“Teachers do not consistently address pupils’ misconceptions. Therefore, pupils’ progress in a range of subjects is not maximised.”

Positive areas at the school noted included pupils’ strong social skills and manners, good attendance levels, a “determined approach” to school improvement among senior leaders, and good behaviour and positivity among pupils.

Kate Horton, headteacher at Beckfoot Allerton, said: “The report was very fair and accurately reflects where the school is at this point in our development.

“We were very encouraged by the inspectors view that the leadership of the school is equipped to lead improvements.

“We were also delighted that the inspectors could see that our pupils’ attitudes to learning were consistently positive and that they were polite with very positive social skills.

“We are very proud of our school. We know what we have to do to get the school back to outstanding.”

David Horn, chief executive of the Beckfoot Trust, added: “The school has gone through a period of transition.

“Changes have been made to the leadership of the school which are undoubtedly now beginning to have impact. Equally some very positive meetings have taken place with parents to establish a closer relationship with them.

“The school will be inspected again in two years’ time. By that time the impact of what is beginning to take hold in the school now will be highly visible. The trust is renowned for its ability to improve schools at pace. The same will happen here.”