Parents at Loders School near Bridport came to hear how staff and governors plan to improve the school after Ofsted’s damning report which put the troubled primary into special measures.

A special meeting was called on Monday night after the school received the Ofsted report judging the school to be inadequate and requiring improvement in all areas.

The school was rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2009 under the headship of Mike Kite who retired in 2012, but following complaints from parents and teachers about the school’s new management Ofsted inspected the school in November.

Chairman of governors Trevor Jameson said the governing body welcomed the report and accepted all its findings.

He said: “The meeting went very well, people were very positive and supportive. I think people were basically onside and were keen to support the new leadership.”

The school is now under the joint leadership of teachers Beth McGrath and Rowan Beecham.

Mrs Beecham said: “We are enthusiastic about our abilities to take the school forward.”

Mr Jameson said the school must now produce an action plan to put right points raised by Ofsted. He said the number of pupils had been declining in the last couple of years with 60 pupils now on the role.

He added: “We have to have parents keep the faith with us and not vote with their feet because ultimately a school is bound by its numbers on role.

“If the numbers drop too low there are financial implications for the future and you get to the point where small schools are not viable.

“We are very keen to give the parents as much confidence in what is happening as possible and restore the trust and confidence that has been lacking over the past couple of years.

Ofsted highlighted ineffective leadership, not ensuring teaching of a sufficiently high quality, poor morale and lack of confidence in the head teacher, pupils not making rapid enough or sustained progress and pupils’ behaviour.

The report did say that children are well cared for, attendance is good, pupils do well by the end of Key Stage 2 and those with special needs are well provided for and achieve well.

The report also criticised Dorset County Council saying it had not acted with sufficient resolve to tackle the problems facing the school.