A LITTLEPORT school has been placed in special measures after inspectors ruled it was “failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.”

Inspectors from OfSTED – the Office for Standards in Education – found areas where Millfield School performed well, but concluded it required ‘special measures’ because, they said, the school’s capacity for sustained improvement was inadequate

Inspectors also added that those responsible for leading, managing or governing the school were not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement.

Inspectors said attainment was low and had declined from the time of the previous inspection, particularly in English. However, they found teachers were committed to improving the quality of provision and worked with enthusiasm in lessons.

“The main reason for pupils’ inadequate achievement is that tasks set for pupils of different abilities take too little account of what they already know. Teachers are keen to improve the quality of their work,” said the inspectors’ report.

Gayle Gorman, director of learning at Cambridgeshire County Council said: “The outcomes of this inspection were expected.

“The county council has been aware for some time of the areas which need to be addressed and has already started to tackle these.

“There is much to be done and further changes to be made, but we are confident that pupils will soon be receiving an improved education and making better progress as a result.”