A SOUTH Ockendon primary school has been told to up its game by Ofsted after it was rated as “requires improvement” by the education watchdog.

Somers Heath, on Foyle Drive, has been given the second lowest rating available after today's report published by Ofsted found that the teaching at foundation and key stage one level didn’t consistently help all pupils to make progress in all subjects.

It also found that the didn’t help pupils in years two to six reach higher levels of attainment and it didn’t ensure pupils attainted the reading and writing skills they needed to progress well at secondary school.

Additionally, it found that pupil’s progress in science wasn’t good enough and that the senior leaders at the school didn’t focus enough attention on improving the quality of teaching.

The grading is a backwards step for the school, after it was awarded a “good” in 2011 after coming out of special measures.

The report is another blow to the reputation of Thurrock primary schools, which is rated in the bottom three nationally.

Since November 2012, 13 of the 17 primary schools in the borough have been found to be inadequate or require improvement.

Only one is outstanding - Dilkes in South Ockendon.

It’s a different story for the boroughs secondary schools though, with eight out of the 10 currently ranked as good or outstanding.

For the full report and reaction, see next week’s Gazette.