The head teacher of a Sheerness primary says the school is determined to exit special measures quickly.

It comes as the latest monitoring inspection of St Edward’s Catholic Primary, New Road, Sheerness, found it was not making enough progress following its “inadequate” rating in March 2013.

Ofsted visited on March 26-27 and the report, published last week, states: “Although pupils are beginning to make better progress in Years 2, 5, and 6, this is not the case in other year groups.”

It also found: “Despite intensive support for teachers, securing consistently good teaching that is needed to raise standards and ensure that all pupils learn well has been stubbornly difficult to achieve.”

The appointment of the head of school, Hayley Liddon, as the permanent head teacher is described as “a major step forward in stabilising the school’s leadership following an extensive period of turbulence which has hindered the pace of improvement”.

The previous monitoring inspection from Ofsted in November found the school was not making enough progress to leave special measures despite the visit before that, in March last year, finding it was it making “reasonable” steps.

A spokesman for Kent County Council said: “All those connected with the school are determined to move forward swiftly and we are confident that the school will make rapid progress.

“KCC is working with the governors, the diocese, head teacher and staff and all are committed to improving standards across the school.

“School leaders have strengthened communications with parents and gained the confidence of staff, parents and the community.”

The report found plans to convert the school into an academy remain uncertain but school leaders, governors, KCC and the diocese have “sensibly” focused on improving the school.