A primary school has stressed that it is heading in the right direction despite being downgraded in an inspection.

Queen’s Park Primary School was rated as “Requires Improvement” in its most recent inspection but Ofsted praised the progress that the school’s new leadership team has been making.

Headteacher Emma Gales said the inspection “guides continuous improvement” and added that the school intends to “rise above this rating”.

Ms Gales said: “The ‘Requires Improvement’ rating does not deter Queen's Park Primary School from its commitment to pupils’ success.

“Rather, it serves as another source of feedback to guide continuous improvement.

“I firmly believe that, with the ongoing support of the dedicated team and the involvement of the parents and carers, the school will rise above this rating to achieve excellence in all aspects of education.”

The most recent report followed an inspection in September 2023.

MOST READ:

​To have access to all of our best stories subscribe to The Argus here

Ofsted stressed that “pupils are happy” and “feel safe” but highlighted that the changes being made by the new senior management team had yet to be fully realised.

Ms Gales joined the school as headteacher in January 2023.

In a letter to parents following the inspection chair of governors Ingrid Laycock said: “Ms Gale has a proven track record of improving schools.

“When she considered joining Queen’s Park school, governors were delighted that she saw the immense potential and the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our children.

“Ms Gale has been clear that she chose to come to Queen's Park Primary School because she knew it needed to embark on a significant improvement journey and is passionate about school improvement.

“It is reassuring to know that the priorities that had already been set for our school development plan fully align with the findings of the Ofsted inspectors, that their assessment has validated the path we have chosen to follow and confirmed that we are focusing on the right areas for improvement and in the right order.”

Queen’s Park Primary School in Park Street, Brighton, was last fully inspected in May 2014 when it was rated “Good”.