Crisis talks are to be held about the future of the governing body at a Bradford primary school which has been rated as failing its pupils by schools’ watchdog Ofsted.

In their report, inspectors have condemned governors at Bradford Moor Community Primary for a longstanding failure to ensure the school is being properly run.

And last night, in a thinly-veiled warning, a Bradford Council spokesman said: “We are holding discussions with the governing body about the future of the governing body.”

Meanwhile Bradford Moor Parents’ Group, which is behind protests at the school, also called for the immediate removal of governing body.

In a statement, the group said: “Our children have been let down.”

The school, where 98 per cent of pupils do not speak English as a first language, faced protests by the group of parents in February about changes head teacher Janet Relton had brought in since her appointment last September.

That led to a placard waving demonstration by some parents and their supporters.

But in their report received by the school yesterday, the inspectors single out Mrs Relton for praise in her efforts to get the school back on track and criticise the lack of support she has received.

“The leadership of the recently appointed head teacher is strong,” the inspectors state.

“Her evaluation of the school is accurate and is underpinned by high expectations of both pupils and staff.

“The actions she has specified are what is required if this school is to improve what it does for all pupils.”

But in a damning criticism of the governors, their report says: “For too long the governing body has not monitored the quality of teaching and achievement effectively.

“Governors have relied too heavily on information given to them by the headteacher in the past and have not provided sufficient challenge and support to school leaders. This is one of the reasons why the quality of provision has declined.

“Not all members of the governing body appreciate the need to work as a team. This undermines the work of the school’s leadership and other governors and has an unacceptable, adverse effect on the ability of leaders to bring about the changes required for the benefit of all pupils.”

Responding to the school being placed in special measures, Councillor Ralph Berry, the Council’s executive member for children’s services, said: “We are working with the school to bring about faster improvement at Bradford Moor in line with the comments made by the inspection team in the Ofsted report.

“The new head teacher, who is praised by Ofsted for taking the right actions to bring about improvements, is now being supported by a new leadership who started at the school after Easter.

“This should lead to further progress being made.”

Mrs Relton urged the school and all parents to support the work being done to try to improve the quality of education it provides.

She said: “We accept the findings of the report. We were working to improve many areas of the school before the inspection team arrived.

“The report notes the progress some children have made and we will be working very hard to bring about further improvements which will result in all pupils making progress.

“I will be encouraging the whole school and all parents to get behind the school so we come out of special measures as soon as possible.”