Shock Ofsted for popular Brighton school

Balfour Primary School was given the rating five years after it was rated ‘good’, as inspectors found disadvantaged pupils made slower progress than their peers, and that students with special educational needs did not make ‘sufficient academic progress’.

Despite an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’, inspectors said that for leadership, teaching, personal development, behaviour and welfare, and early years provision were all ‘good’.

A letter to parents from headteacher Marcelo Staricoff and chair of governors Rachel Cashman said: “Although as a whole, standards are at or above national for pupils across the school, the inspectors felt that children within the disadvantaged, SEND and more able groups were not making enough progress, especially in writing, when compared to their peers.

“The inspectors did recognise that current disadvantaged pupils are not falling further behind, but neither are they catching up with their peers or with other pupils nationally in writing and maths.

“This outcome is very disappointing for all of us as a community. Our services are only as good as those delivered for the most in need and it is clear from the results of this Ofsted inspection that in the last five years we could and should have done more to ensure the potential of every disadvantaged child, every child with special educational needs or disability and each of our most able pupils was optimally supported.

“Despite this final judgement, we are pleased that the inspectors recognised the fact that we are an improving school and as a result graded the school as good in all other areas.

“We have every confidence that together we can work towards rapidly addressing the issues that have been identified, as we continue to strive to provide the very best possible education for all our children.”

Inspectors did praise the school as ‘a place where pupils can be themselves and are respected as individuals’ and that pupils enjoy going to school.

Balfour Primary School was inspected on November 8 and 9, and is described in the report as ‘much larger than the average primary school’, as there are four classes in each year group.

Balfour is a feeder school for popular secondaries Varndean and Dorothy Stringer.