THE executive headteacher of a village primary school placed in special measures following a damning Ofsted inspection says he has every confidence things will improve - and soon.

Worlingworth Primary School was inspected in June and the report was published this month, rating the school as “inadequate” and recommending it be placed in special measures.

After the school had seen five heads come and go in just five school years, Stradbroke High School’s Andrew Bloom was appointed executive headteacher last September.

He said “a number of different circumstances” had contributed to the findings laid out in the report, but that he was confident progress had already been made.

“I think it was a fair report on where the school was then,” said Mr Bloom. “There has been considerable progress even in the few weeks since the Ofsted visit. Our aim is to move it forward as quickly as possible.

“The local authority must also carry some responsibility and I’m delighted with the support we have had from them. We are putting things in place to give the school the kind of support and help it needs and has needed for a number of years.”

At the time of the inspection, the Church of England voluntary controlled school had just 52 pupils and two teachers.

Inspectors said teaching at the school was “inadequate” and that teachers’ expectations of what pupils could achieve was too low. The leadership was also described as “inadequate” although the report acknowledged that the new senior leadership team had quickly identified “sharp priorities” to improve the quality of teaching and the curriculum.

Mr Bloom was appointed after being asked to take on the responsibility by education chiefs at Suffolk County Council.

He said staff were in close communication with a nearby “outstanding” school, learning best-practice and new ways of working.

He added: “I’m very confident that this will be a swift improvement to get the school to where it needs to be.

“We have made significant changes, even in the five weeks since Ofsted were here.

“We will have an S8 inspection in the second half of this term and we are looking forward to that, to look at the improvements we have put in place. This report is a catalyst for change, and the school needed it.”