TWENTY Suffolk schools have gone up a grade following their most recent Ofsted inspection so far this school year.

In total, 40 schools have had their inspection reports back and half have seen their standards improve by at least one grade.

Twelve schools have been given the same rating as in their previous inspection, while eight schools have let standards slip.

In many cases Ofsted, which is now using a “significantly tougher” new framework for its inspections, has praised Suffolk County Council for its efforts to support schools and help them to improve.

The under-fire authority has dropped down the national league tables for its most recent GCSE grades and SATs results but cabinet member for education, Graham Newman, said the 20 improving schools showed that things were starting to go in the right direction.

He said: “Despite the Government’s move away from local authority control of education, I think this shows we have appropriate strategies in place to help schools to improve.

“None of this can be achieved without strong leadership from governing bodies and heads and determined efforts by teachers. I’d like to congratulate all those that have improved standards in their schools.”

The schools to have moved up from “satisfactory” to “good” are Abbots Green Community Primary in Bury St Edmunds, Chilton Primary in Stowmarket, Easton Community Primary, Eyke Primary, Kyson Primary, Mendlesham Community Primary, Sandlings Primary in Woodbridge, St Botolph’s Primary in Botesdale, Stoke High School, Stonham Aspal Primary, Stowmarket Middle, The Oaks Primary in Ipswich, The Willows Primary in Ipswich, Thurston Primary, West Row Community Primary and Whitton Community Primary in Ipswich.

Gislingham primary has impressively managed to go from “satisfactory” to “outstanding”, the Parkside Unit has gone from “good” to “outstanding” while The Albany Centre and Great Cornard’s Pot Kiln Primary have both gone from the old “inadequate” rating to “satisfactory”.

Across Suffolk, eight schools have all stayed at “satisfactory” level, a grading which under the new framework has been re-classed as “requires improvement” and comes with closer monitoring from Ofsted.

Schools to have maintained their “good” rating are Bramford Primary, Chelmondiston Primary, Mill Meadow in Newmarket, and Warren School in Lowestoft.

Aldeburgh Primary, Broke Hall Primary in Ipswich and Claydon High School have gone from “good” to “satisfactory” while The Denes high School in Lowesoft, which is now an academy, has gone from “good” to “inadequate” while Elmsett Primary has dropped from “outstanding” to “requires improvement”.

Glemsford Primary, Sidegate Primary in Ipswich and Whitton Green Community Primary have dropped from the old “satisfactory” rating to “inadequate”.