An inspection into a failing school has found its plans to get out of special measures are “not fit for purpose”.

St Edward’s Catholic Primary, in New Road, Sheerness, was rated as inadequate by Ofsted following a visit in March.

It was deemed to have serious weaknesses in the achievement of its 210 pupils, quality of teaching and leadership and management.

The first monitoring inspection since it was told to improve was carried out in July and the report was published online last month.

It states that action plans by Kent County Council and the school were not sufficient to forge a path out of special measures.

For both of them, it states: “Important information to help them hold the senior leaders to account for making improvements quickly is missing or unclear.”

It found that although a team of three core governors set up to monitor progress has received training from the local authority, they are, “uncertain how to fulfil their role efficiently and effectively”.

Although some information is lacking from the action plans, the report acknowledges that KCC has identified relevant priorities and appropriate support.

Reports take place every six weeks on how quickly the school is improving.

KCC’s original plan submitted to Ofsted was altered to include more information about raising pupils’ performance, but inspectors want clearer information about what progress is expected by given points through the year.

Ofsted has now prevented the school from appointing newly qualified teachers before its next monitoring visit.

In September, Amanda Woolcombe was drafted in from Holywell primary in Upchurch to be the new executive head teacher to support head teacher Caroline Jackson.

St Edward’s is in a federation with St Peter’s Catholic Primary in Sittingbourne but in the future aims to become an academy on its own.

The Ofsted inspection in March suggested that to receive a better rating, the school needs to rapidly improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement, improve learning in reception class and improve quality of leadership.

Representatives of the school were unavailable to comment.