Wolverhampton's Villiers Primary School now in special measures

Ofsted had previously named Villiers Primary School in Bilston as outstanding in 2007.

But after a visit in July this year, inspectors said leaders and management 'have not done enough to halt the decline in achievement and improve teaching' since then.

The school has now been rated inadequate, Ofsted's lowest rating, and put in special measures, meaning it will now receive regular visits from inspectors.

Villiers is one of the largest schools in Wolverhampton with more than 600 pupils. It has a string of accreditations to its name, including being recognised by the Department for Education and Ofsted as a centre of excellence.

A report said the school's teaching, leadership and management, and the achievement of its pupils' were all inadequate, while the behaviour and safety of pupils also 'requires improvement'.

Other findings included that the school must rapidly improve teaching, raise reading and writing standards, improve achievement levels in the early years foundation stage, as well as in leadership, management and governance.

The report continued: "The majority of teaching does not challenge or motivate pupils and too much teaching is inadequate. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are not high enough."

Duncan Cocker, who took over as the school's head teacher in April, after the previous head Sally Lanni left to move to another school, said improvements were being made.

He said: "The governing body, head teacher and leadership team, whilst clearly disappointed, accept the verdict and are committed to rapidly making the needed improvements."

Mr Cocker said the school had taken steps towards improving pupils' reading and writing abilities, reduced class sizes, reviewed staff training opportunities, refined leadership roles, and developed its role providing maths training for other schools, among other measures taken.

He added: "Villiers Primary School has deservedly built up a reputation of excellence and success, including a number of accolades in areas of sport, music and academic attainment.

"This has incorporated three consecutive outstanding judgements by Ofsted in recent years.

"The school remains oversubscribed.

"It is important to note that the report also highlighted the excellent behaviour of the children and the staff-pupil relationships that exist."

The inspectors said in their report, which was published this month, that the school requires special measures because it is failing to give pupils the required standard of education.