A ‘FAILING’ primary school that was given Ofsted’s lowest possible grade last year has been praised after a follow-up inspection.

Barrowford School in Pendle was rated ‘inadequate’ by the education watchdog when it was reviewed in July 2015.

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Now Ofsted has concluded that the Rushton Street school has addressed the ‘serious weaknesses’ identified in the previous report and that the headteachers and senior leaders have worked ‘rigorously and effectively’.

The ‘Section Eight’ inspection was carried out earlier this month and doesn’t change the overall grading of the school.

The school hit the headlines last summer after being criticised for advocating an alternative disciplinary policy which includes sanction-free rules.

In a letter to headteacher Rachel Tomlinson, inspector Ian Hardman said: “You, senior leaders, staff and governors have accepted the judgements made in the previous inspection.You are working rigorously and effectively in the areas for improvement outlined in your previous inspection, with the shared aim of becoming a good school.

“Your work is starting to pay dividends already.

“You and other senior leaders have embarked on a rigorous programme of monitoring to check on the quality of teaching across the school.

“There is a more consistent approach to teaching because staff are now adhering to agreed policies more closely.Your records indicate that inadequate teaching has been eradicated.Governors’ monitoring and evaluation of the school have strengthened.”

However, the inspector added that the school’s development plans were ‘not fit for purpose’ as they need to be ‘clear to everyone what the end goals are and how to check progress’. Mr Hardman also said that Lancashire County Council’s action plan was also ‘not fit for purpose’ because it ‘lacks detail about the end goals for each improvement area’. He added: “I have asked that you work together to clarify this aspect of your school development plans and the local authority’s statement of action, so that they are both fit for purpose.”

The school was rated as ‘good’ when it was inspected in 2012.

Last year Mrs Tomlinson said in a letter to parents that while she was very disappointed with the outcome of the inspection, she was very positive about the future. Mrs Tomlinson and chair of governors Doug Metcalfe were unavailable for comment yesterday.