Ofsted to reinspect 'inadequate' Cambridge school after legal threat

Ofsted said it would reinspect a primary school that threatened legal action after it received an "inadequate" rating.

Queen Emma Primary in Cambridge challenged the inspectorate arguing its decision was flawed.

Ofsted said it had removed the report from its website and would visit again at a future date.

The head teacher said the watchdog concluded its report was "unreliable" and "cannot be sustained".

Chair of governors, Sean Lang, had previously told the BBC that the inspection felt "like an all-out assault".

The school asked for an internal review and, in a letter sent to parents, Mr Lang and head teacher Sarah Jarman laid out Ofsted's response.

It read: "We are writing to inform you that Ofsted's response concluded that they hold concerns about the security of the personal development judgement, and for this reason, the report cannot be sustained and the report has been withdrawn from the Ofsted website and deemed as unreliable."

The letter said there would be a further inspection scheduled "as soon as possible so that we have a fair inspection process".

Ms Jarman and Mr Lang told parents their "backing in the matters above has been resounding and we cannot express our gratitude enough for the strength of support that we have all felt".

They said the school was seeking to claim back from Ofsted money already spent on legal fees.

Ofsted had previously said it "firmly" stood by its inspection.

But in a statement on Friday, the inspectorate said: "During a review of the school's complaint about this inspection, it became apparent that we had not considered concerns about the personal development judgement sufficiently, and this cast some doubt over that particular judgement.

"As a result, we have removed the report from our website and we will reinspect the school."

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