A primary school has been put in special measures three days after its long-serving head teacher retired.

New Road School in Chatham was rated "good" last year. Head teacher Janet Perry (below) retired last Monday after 18 years at the school.

She attended a private party held by Tony Blair for community leaders in 2005.

Yet the school went through a crisis in October last year, when Mrs Perry and another staff member were suspended during an investigation into its management. They returned to work five weeks later, having been cleared of any wrongdoing.

Inspectors visited New Road School in September and remarked on the "period of significant turbulence, followed by the promotion of the deputy head teacher".

Parents were called to a meeting on Friday to discuss the report, which raised serious concerns about the school's management.

The inspectors wrote: "Senior leaders and the governing body are not working together effectively.

"Leaders at all levels are not monitoring teaching rigorously enough and, as a result, senior leaders are unable to identify what works well."

Elizabeth Caldwell, who leads nearby Greenvale Infant School, has been appointed interim head.

The inspectors praised some aspects of the school, especially its "strong sense of community" and pupils' behaviour and safety.

Yet the inspectors said teaching and learning was inadequate, adding: "Too often, pupils are given insufficiently challenging work."

Juliet Sevior, Medway Council's assistant director for inclusion and improvement, said: "I have every confidence that Ms Caldwell will make the improvements needed."

Retiring head Mrs Perry praised staff last week, adding: "I'm going to spend time relaxing and going on holidays and doing all the things I never had time to do. I want to go to Australia, New Zealand and China and visit friends."