A PRIMARY school has been ordered to carry out a 20-point action plan after a damning report from Ofsted inspectors.

They have ordered "special measures" at Burnley's 360 pupil Todmorden Road school to bring it up to acceptable standards -- and a Lancashire Education Authority special advisor is already "working intensively" with teaching staff to bring about improvements.

The catalogue of failure, first revealed in a leaked report in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph earlier this month, is confirmed in the official Ofsted document released today.

It criticises many aspects, from pupil attainment to teaching standards, curriculum planning to leadership and management.

The Ofsted team found the school had more weaknesses than strengths and did not have the means to improve without help.

The school had not overcome most of the weaknesses pointed out in a previous inspection, they state.

Black marks in the new report include: Below-expected standards in English, mathematics, science and information technology -- with standards below average at age seven and even worse by the time they leave school.

Teaching in almost one third of classes for certain age groups is described as unsatisfactory -- "teachers have low expectations of pupils, have unsatisfactory subject knowledge and use a limited range of teaching methods," say the inspectors.

Management of the school, they say, is not effective because it does not give clear direction and support to teachers and has not effectively established methods to monitor and improve teaching. Leadership and management of the school are poor.

Inspectors say personal development of pupils is unsatisfactory as is attendance.

There is insufficient involvement of parents in children's learning and at one open evening only one parent turned up, say the inspectors. But there are good points too, they say, with top marks for behaviour and the fact that the school provides a secure, happy environment, strong moral guidance and sets high standards of discipline and behaviour.

There is good provision for children with special needs, financial controls are efficient and school administration good.

But the inspectors conclude: "Taking into account the poor attainment of pupils on entry, their poor attainment, unsatisfactory progress, their positive attitudes to school, the unsatisfactory teaching, the unsatisfactory use of resources and accommodation and the costs which are average for a school of this type, the school provides unsatisfactory value for money."

Chairman of governors Denise Embra said today: "An action planning committee is meeting regularly with determination and optimism to address the issues."

She added: "I am confident we will continue to provide for the needs of the children in our community, we look forward to the challenge."

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