A SCHOOL in Thornbury is contesting its recent Ofsted report, claiming the inspectors who conducted the review failed to understand the school's ethos and teaching approach.

St Mary’s Church of England Primary School said it refused categorically the findings and "satisfactory" grading of lead inspector Kerry Rochester following her visit in March.

Head teacher Avril Muirhead complained to both Tribal, a company which conducts inspections on behalf of Ofsted, and to Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw, asking for the claims made to be redressed.

At its last review in 2007, the school had been deemed good with outstanding aspects but this time around, the quality of its teaching was found lacking.

In her report Mrs Rochester said staff were not focused enough on the progress of its 169 pupils.

"The school is not better than satisfactory overall, because teaching and its leadership are not leading to pupils’ good achievement throughout the school," the report said.

It added that teachers did not always make clear to students what they were expected to learn from each task set.

Yet she acknowledged the fact that parents and carers all believed their children were well taught.

Mrs Muirhead said the report in no way reflected the standards of teaching at St Mary’s Primary School.

A similar inspection carried out on May 3 by the Diocese of Gloucester, she added, found the school to be outstanding at meeting the needs of all learners.

"I am very proud of the children," Mrs Muirhead said. "The inspectors did not understand the ethos of the school. It is completely illogical.

"We are the third top school for attainment on the BBC table and some of our Year 6 pupils are going to be sitting some Level 6 Standard Attainment Tests (SATs)."

She added that the inspectors clearly favoured a didactic teaching approach to the more ‘discursive’ technique encouraged at St Mary’s.

She also complained about the structure of the report which should never have included an overview of religious education at the school, an area only the Diocese is allowed to assess.

"They misrepresented the way in which our children are taught. The school, the parents and the governors are all refusing the report," Mrs Muirhead said.

An Ofsted spokesman said the organisation could not comment on individual schools but that complaints about reports and inspectors were taken very seriously.

The Parents Forum at St Mary’s School is currently putting together its response to the report. To read it go on www.stmarysthornbury.ik.org