Cloud hangs over school (From Malvern Gazette)

Cloud hangs over school

10:00am Friday 18th July 2008

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PUPILS at Malvern Hills Primary waved goodbye to their departing headteacher on Wednesday but a dark cloud still hangs over the school after the local authority proceeded with closure proposals.

Andrew Chilman has been acting head for three years having been appointed when the school was put on special measures.

However an Ofsted inspection undertaken in June deemed the school was again "failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education."

Worcestershire County Council agreed at a cabinet meeting on Thursday morning (July 17) to proceed with a consultation period on potentially closing the school.

Although councillors recognised the school was formally disputing the findings of the Ofsted report, they expressed concern at the consistently low pupil numbers.

Chairman of the governers Dinah Sage reacted to the decision with dismay.

She said: "Disappointed is an understatement. There seems to be confusion among the county council as to the difference between achievement and attainment.

"Ofsted is criticising us because the children have not attained sufficiently high results, but they have achieved great progress."

A report will be brought before the county council in September on the results of the consultation.

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