AN action plan put in place by council bosses to tackle problems at a troubled school in Wellington has been criticised.

OFSTED inspectors have slammed methods put in place by Somerset County Council to turn around Wellesley Park Primary School after it was placed in special measures.

In a letter to former interim head Lindsay Gabriel, who was appointed full-time in March, inspector Pauline Robins said: “The local authority’s action plan is not fit for purpose.

“Success criteria lack precision, too many of the outcomes are actually actions to be taken, and there is no indication of the financial requirements to implement the plan.”

The school was judged ‘inadequate’ by OFSTED during an inspection report published in January and a ‘super head’ was drafted in.

Previous head teacher Maureen Crofton retired at Christmas before the publication of the report, which said pupil achievement, teaching quality, and the behaviour and safety of pupils, all “require improvement”.

Inspectors must now check the school, which is expected to become an academy in April, at regular intervals.

The letter highlighted some positive changes, stating “much has been achieved” since the appointment of Mrs Gabriel and that “decisive” action had been taken.

It is now also allowed to take on newly qualified teachers.

A Somerset County Council spokesman said: “A recent review of the school by the council found that Wellesley Park is making good progress in addressing the issues identified in the original OFSTED inspection report.

“While we are disappointed with the findings of the monitoring inspection in relation to the action plan, it is important to note that the review was not critical of the support that the council had identified as being required.”