A PRIMARY school in a leafy suburb of Glasgow has been heavily criticised by school inspectors.

A report from schools quango Education Scotland graded Bearsden Primary School, in East Dunbartonshire, "weak" on both the curriculum and self-improvement - the second lowest rating.

Inspectors said implementation of the new Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), which was introduced in 2010, was still at a “very early stage” and called on the school to make urgent improvements - in particular to raise attainment in numeracy and mathematics.

“We have asked staff to increase the pace and challenge for the highest-attaining children to ensure they make better progress,” the report adds.

Inspectors will return to the school in a year's time to check on the progress being made.

The damning report comes some two years after Bearsden Primary was saved from closure after a campaign by parents.

The council had wanted to merge the school with nearby Castlehill Primary, but 95 per cent of families objected to the move, which was also opposed by celebrity former pupils Mark Knopfler, of rock group Dire Straits, and pop singer Darius Campbell.

A spokesman for East Dunbartonshire Council said an action plan was already being implemented.

Officials stressed the work of new headteacher Paul Meehan had been praised with inspectors saying he had made a positive start in gaining the confidence of parents and the support of staff.

Former headteacher Marianne Young retired from the school in June last year after 17 years in the post.

Eric Gotts, convener of the council's education committee, said: “We work continuously with all schools to self-evaluate throughout the academic year and in this instance we had identified the need to strengthen the school’s approaches to improvement.

“As it develops, CfE sets a very high bar for pupils and teachers and we will continue to work together with all our schools to ensure they meet the exacting standards demanded of them.”

The report said: “Staff are at a very early stage of developing a common understanding of CfE. They do not have a consistent and shared understanding of what they are trying to achieve for children through the curriculum. Progress in developing the school’s curriculum has been too slow.

“They have introduced a variety of new materials for developing children’s skills in numeracy and mathematics and new approaches for science. As a result, children’s experiences are improving in these areas.

“However, much work remains to be done to ensure improvements are made in all aspects of the school’s work.

"The important weaknesses in the school’s curriculum development should be addressed as a matter of the highest priority. The achievement of all children should be higher.”

The report said school staff had been tasked with raising attainment, to ensure children made more appropriate progress and that the quality of learning and teaching was improved consistently across the school.