EDUCATION inspectors have warned a tiny Exmoor school it could lose the ‘good’ rating it was awarded 10 years ago if it was fully re-inspected.

Since being judged ‘good’ by Ofsted in 2013, East Anstey Primary School has been subject only to an ungraded ‘short inspection’ in 2017.

A more in depth ungraded visit was then made in January this year, the first since the Covid-19 pandemic, with the findings published this month concluding ‘no change’ to the school’s overall judgement of ‘good’.

However, inspectors Leanne Thirlby and Wendy Marriott said evidence suggested the 28-pupil school might not keep its ‘good’ rating if a graded inspection was carried out, which they recommended should now happen.

The inspectors, who met executive headteacher Tim Gurney, noted East Anstey was part of the Exmoor Link Federation with Bishops Nympton Primary School and remarked on its ‘caring and naturing ethos’ with pupils, staff, parents, and carers seeing the school as a ‘family’.

Parents were positive with their comments about the support their children received and how well staff understood their individual needs.

Pupils enjoyed school, but they did not learn and remember the curriculum well enough and work to improve the curriculum was still in the early stages of development

The inspectors said there was ‘a clear drive for improvement’ from the school’s leaders, including those responsible for governance.

However, action was needed to quickly address that gaps in learning and ensure all pupils from early years to year six learnt as well as they should.

The range of expertise and subject knowledge of some staff was too variable and some subject leaders did not fulfil their roles effectively and lacked a secure overview of their subject or how well pupils learned.

The inspectors said senior leaders and governors were aware of this and were seeking ways to address the issue.

The need for a more effective approach to reading had been recognised and a new phonics programme had started to impact on how well pupils learned their sounds, but it was not yet fully embedded.

The inspectors said school leaders had strengthened cultural awareness and understanding of diversity in the world beyond the local community for pupils which helped prepare them for the next stage in their education.