A school given top marks by Ofsted inspectors five years ago has now been hit with the lowest possible grading - despite the quality of its education being rated “outstanding”.

Temple Ewell C of E Primary School in Dover had previously been given the highest overall rating from the education watchdog following an inspection in 2017.

But in a drastic fall from grace, it now has the worst, having been graded ‘inadequate’ despite failing in just a single category - leadership and management.

Ofsted’s concerns centred largely on poor record-keeping, including in safeguarding.

During their visit inspectors said that while all school staff were “aware of risks that pupils might face and how to report concerns”, the school did not maintain clear and comprehensive records.

The Ofsted report, published on September 30, said: “Leaders do not maintain clear and comprehensive written safeguarding records.

“Records have large omissions of important information like actions, outcomes, meetings, times and dates.

“Therefore, there is a lack of clarity about the support that pupils receive when safeguarding concerns are reported.”

The school, in Brookside, was still classed as “outstanding” in the categories of quality of education and personal development, and “good” in behaviour and attitudes and early years provision, after the inspectors’ visit in July.

The school and the Diocese of Canterbury Academies Trust that oversees it, Aquila, say they have taken action to resolve problems.

These include commissioning an external organisation to fully review all safeguarding policies and procedures, particularly those related to record-keeping.

The work has also involved adopting a new electronic system for recording concerns and enhancing the monitoring and recording of all safeguarding incidents.

The Trust will also be rolling out additional safeguarding training to all 16 of its schools.

Head teacher Angela Matthews said: “We will do everything we can to address Ofsted’s concerns.

“The inspectors found that all staff are aware of risks that pupils might face and how to report concerns.

“ They also said that pupils learn how to report their worries and stay safe.

“However, Ofsted rightly flagged that our record-keeping needs to improve.

“We take their comments very seriously and have immediately taken urgent actions to address them.”

Annie Wiles, chief executive of Aquila, said: “Safeguarding our pupils is one of the most important aspects of what we do and this, of course, includes meticulous record keeping.

“We have taken immediate actions to ensure our records are of the highest standards.”

The Ofsted report also stated that the school’s leaders were “relentless in their ambition to provide pupils with an exceptional education”.

“The curriculum is constantly being adjusted by leaders who are experts within their subject areas,” inspectors said.

“They listen and respond to pupils’ interests, planning learning which excites and enthuses pupils to want to know more.

“Leaders have thought precisely about the important knowledge pupils must learn and when.”

The previous report, published in 2017, classed the school as “outstanding” in four out of five categories, including leadership and management. It was recorded as “good” in early years provision.

n What do you think? Email dovermercury@thekmgroup.co.uk.