A primary school in a village near Reading has been told that it needs to improve by education inspectors.

Grazeley Parochial Church of England Aided Primary School was recently visited by school’s inspector Ofsted, who gave it a ‘Requires Improvement’ rating.

The school was primarily criticised for teaching and curriculum not being properly sequenced so that pupils build knowledge in science and ‘foundation subjects’ such as art, history, P.E and geography.

A report on the visit states: “While leaders have high aspirations for all pupils to achieve their best, pupils are not yet benefitting from a carefully considered and organised curriculum.

“Pupils cannot confidently recall and describe important information that they have learned in some subjects.

“This means they struggle to make connections and build on what they might already know.”

READ MORE: Reading secondary school bounces back to achieve 'Good' Ofsted rating

The school did receive praise for creating its ‘unique Christian family atmosphere’ and cultivating friendly relationships between pupils.

Inspectors also acknowledged that the school has been through a ‘turbulent’ period of leadership and teaching staff changes, which has meant important improvements to the curriculum have not been made.

To improve, staff have been told to refine the curriculum so that children build essential knowledge in the foundation subjects, and putting in place an effective assessment process in those subjects so pupil progress can be monitored.

The school is run by governors with the oversight of Wokingham Borough Council and the Diocese of Oxford.

READ MORE: Reading nursery praised for turnaround after being told to improve

Providing a statement on the rating, Jane Critchlow, the recently appointed headteacher, said: “The Ofsted inspection at the beginning of October highlights the strengths of the school.

“These include a ‘unique Christian family atmosphere that is appreciated by staff, parents and pupils’, which can be seen in the sense of responsibility of older pupils caring for the younger ones, and all pupils feeling included.

“We are proud of these strong relationships and will continue to offer opportunities for our children to develop and grow.

“The Ofsted inspection also outlined areas where we need to improve.

“Plans are in place for rapid improvement and are supported by our committed staff team, the governors, the local authority and the Diocese.

“The curriculum and assessment, including in Early Years, has been reviewed and is currently being implemented.

“We are also proud that Ofsted recognised the success of our teaching of phonics and early reading skills, and the high aspirations we have for our pupils to achieve their best in their learning and behaviour.”

Councillor Prue Bray (Liberal Democrats, Winnersh), executive member for children’s services at Wokingham Borough Council said: “We are working closely with the new headteacher, governors and the Diocese, and are confident of the direction the school is moving.

“The Ofsted report is very positive about the new head, and recognises that she has already started making improvements and has a clear vision for the future.”

The school was rated ‘Good’ at its last full inspection in 2011, and was visited by Ofsted in 2014, 2016 and 2019.

In 2019, inspectors still judged the school as ‘Good’ but identified a decline in teaching standards.

The most recent visit was undertaken by inspectors Jo Petch and Emma Law.

It took place on October 4-5, and the inspection report was published on November 24.