A SCHOOL which quoted an out-of-date and glowing Ofsted report to woo parents rather than its latest damning inspection claims it was a simple mistake.

Woodham Academy, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, produced a leaflet advertising an open day for prospective pupils wanting to join the school next year - using comments from a 2011 inspection.

Despite being found to be requiring improvement across the board in March, the same remarks from six years ago were still in use on the school website’s ‘about’ section.

The Northern Echo contacted the school this week after receiving an anonymous tip-off from a member of public who accused the school of misrepresenting itself.

Headteacher Christine Forsyth said “there was no intent whatsoever to do anything that was dishonest”.

She added: “What has happened is a member of staff has put in an advert for the open evening (from the previous year) and they have simply changed the date.

“There has been disciplinary action. A new member of staff has made an error, nothing more, nothing less.”

In the advert for the Year 6 opening day event, the extract from Ofsted described the school as “improving strongly”, stated “outcomes for students are good because their achievement and all aspects of their personal development are good” and quoted an inspector as saying “I have nothing but praise in the highest degree for this school”.

The remarks provide a stark contrast to the school’s latest Ofsted report.

During the inspection this year, a team found the school to be requiring improvement overall, as well as in each of the regulator’s four key categories - the effectiveness of leadership and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, personal development, behaviour and welfare and outcomes for pupils.

Having opened as an academy in September 2012, the former Woodham Community Technology College had previously been inspected in 2011.

The headteacher also attributed the out-of-date 2011 comments, which still appeared on the school’s website on Wednesday, as “quite simply an error”.

She added: “I thought I had taken everything out. I have been through every page on the website.”

A link to this year’s inspection report can also be found on the site. It identified strengths in the teaching of English, the Sports Academy Programme, range of visits on offer and found pupils felt safe.