A PRIMARY school looks set to become an academy after it was rated “inadequate” by Ofsted.

Moulsecoomb Primary in Brighton has been issued an Academy Order by the Department for Education after inspectors published their latest report on the school’s progress.

The department’s regional schools commissioner has told Brighton and Hove City Council he is considering a suitable academy sponsor for the school.

But councillor in charge of schools Nick Childs has said the council is “fundamentally opposed” to the move and is calling for the “privatisation process” to be stopped.

And he is calling for the school to be re-inspected in the autumn.

Councillor Childs, chairman of the council’s children, young people and skills committee, said: “Our new administration’s preferred position is in favour of maintaining all local authority controlled schools.

“We are fundamentally opposed to this attempt by the Regional Schools Commissioner to tell the people of Brighton and Hove that we must hand over our community school to become a private academy company without local accountability.

“The council will be arranging a parental and staff ballot regarding the Academy Order and we will be sharing the results of this ballot with the commissioner.

“I very much hope that this will be reflected in any final decision made about the school.

“We shall also be writing to the Secretary of State to request that the school be re-inspected in the autumn, and asking for the privatisation process to be halted in the interim.

“In the meantime we have a great head and staff team working at the school, and the comprehensive package of support we have put in place to improve academic standards there will continue.”

The Department for Education has been contacted for comment.

Inspectors found teachers at the school in The Highway had low expectations of pupils and that many children were “persistently absent".

The report also found that “rough play” in the playground had left pupils feeling anxious.

Inspectors found quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils was “inadequate”.

But they also found the school was an “inclusive community”, leaders were working to improve pupil’s attitudes, and pupils in Key Stage 1 are making better progress than in previous years.

At the time, head teacher Adam Sutton wrote to parents, saying: "We are obviously disappointed with this judgement. We have been working hard to improve the school and we will continue to do so."