A primary school in Ipswich which has been tasked with upping its standards by Ofsted has been converted to an academy in a bid to drive improvements.

Piper’s Vale Community Primary School in Raeburn Road, was taken over by the Paradigm Trust as of Friday, September 1, in a move ordered by the Department for Education.

The school, which has been rated as requires improvement by Ofsted since March 2015, will now be renamed Piper’s Vale Primary Academy.

It is hoped that being run by experienced sponsor Paradigm Trust, will help drive improvements at the school.

Ben Carter, principal of Paradigm Trust’s Culloden Primary Academy in London who will be working as executive principal alongside existing headteacher Paul Arch, said: “Paradigm Trust’s aim is to give children the educational opportunities they deserve. Pupils at our existing schools benefit from greater life chances based on high expectations, and I am confident we shall be able to do the same for the children at Piper’s Vale.

“I have met a number of Piper’s Vale parents/carers and have been heartened by their openness and willingness to embrace change, however I also understand that change is unsettling.

“I would therefore like to assure all parent/carers that where there is recognised good practice this will continue. My focus and that of the trust is to take immediate steps to raise the quality of teaching and educational standards.”

Paradigm Trust already runs Ipswich Academy, where it helped improve the school from inadequate to requires improvement in November, and in January took on Murrayfield Primary School where improvements are ongoing.

Both Murrayfield and Piper’s Vale are feeder schools to Ipswich Academy.

The trust confirmed that all staff would remain on board.

Headteacher Paul Arch added: “I strongly believe that our pupils will benefit under the trust from a consistent approach to teaching from nursery through to their ongoing education at Ipswich Academy. The Trust’s key values and its approaches to delivering the curriculum are very much in line with our own and I believe their expertise will enable us to provide the best education.”

A spokesman from the Department for Education declined to comment.