AN ILKLEY school called an urgent meeting with staff and parents last night to discuss "challenging circumstances" during the past six months.

Bradford Council's strategic director of children's services this week revealed the local authority commissioned a Bradford Primary Improvement Partnership review of Ben Rhydding Primary School, with a formal challenge to improve flagging standards subsequently issued to the school's governing body.

The Gazette has obtained a copy of a confidential report, which said the Bolling Road school was operating with reduced leadership capacity.

The school changed leadership arrangements following the resignation of a long-serving headteacher after a long-term absence.

It highlighted a decline in standards in some subjects by the end of Key Stage 1 and 2, and made recommendations for improvements.

But the chairman of the school's governing body claims "meteoric progress" has been made since the review, including educational standards.

He and his colleagues also contest some of the findings of the review, arguing changes to the curriculum and assessment last year had seen standards affected nationwide, not just locally.

The next step is to appoint a full-time headteacher.

Ben Rhydding Primary School parents were invited, along with staff and the wider community, to attend the meeting at St John's Church Hall last night, to hear options for the future leadership of the school, ask questions and raise any concerns.

A decision is expected to be made in the coming days.

Bradford Council's strategic director of children's services, Michael Jameson, said: "We are working closely with Ben Rhydding Primary School.

"We commissioned the support of the Bradford Primary Improvement Partnership to do the review and we brokered the interim appointment of a headteacher from an 'outstanding' local school. Under her leadership, the school has made significant progress in recent months. The governors are now working towards appointing a new headteacher to build on that progress.

"We have issued a formal challenge to the school's governing body to improve, and as part of that process, we are now recruiting two additional high-quality governors to further strengthen its leadership. The local authority has made clear the extremely high standards the school must strive for in order to continue its progress and provide an excellent education to all its pupils."

Chairman of governors, Andrew Rabbitt, said: "Since September 2015, we have been working under challenging circumstances, with support from Burley Oaks School on an interim basis.

"We have to make a significant decision about the future permanent leadership of the school and, as a community, I feel it is important this decision is made openly and transparently."

Mr Rabbitt said it was intended to provide parents, staff and the wider community with an opportunity to hear the options available, ask questions and share concerns.

The school's last Ofsted inspection, in 2012, saw the school rated 'good' by inspectors.

Ward councillor and Ben Rhydding resident, Councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley), was invited to chair the meeting, and welcomed the opportunity for parents to be involved in decisions affecting the future of the school.

She said: "It's a lovely community school, and it's a good thing all parents are involved in the future management."

l Log-on to ilkleygazette.co.uk for full report from the meeting, with reaction in next week's paper.

lWhat do you think? We welcome letters on this or any other subject. E-mail richard.parker@nqyne.co.uk or write to the Content Editor, Ilkley Gazette and Wharfedale Observer, 38 High Street, Skipton BD23 1JU. Please include your full name, address and daytime telephone number.