A school run by Gillingham Football Club has been given a poor Ofsted rating.

In the four areas assessed, the GFC School only achieved good in the personal development, behaviour and welfare category.

The rest, including overall effectiveness, was rated as "requires improvement".

GFC School, previously known as Gillingham FC Community Trust school, teaches 30 students, most of whom were excluded or at risk of exclusion from previous schools.

The club ended its relationship with the trust last September when they were unable to agree terms.

Almost all of the staff left in the summer due to the uncertainty surrounding the trust's future.

Many of those who were inspected had only joined the club in January.

All subject leaders are new to the school. The inspection was carried out between January 16 and 18.

The report reads: “Teaching is inconsistent. Planned learning does not build well enough on what pupils know and can already do.

“As a result, work can sometimes be too easy, and at other times too difficult.

“New leaders have worked quickly to identify what is not working well.

“However, they have not yet had the time to improve the quality of teaching and learning. “Staff are not consistent in their approach to pupils who use inappropriate language.”

"We are now working hard with the school to improve a number of things moving forward” - Paul Scally

However, inspectors found students enjoyed going to the school and parents noticed the difference it has made to their behaviour.

It reads: “Staff, including those who are very new, are well trained to safeguard pupils.

“They listen carefully to what pupils tell them and pass this information on swiftly to the appropriate authority.

“The school has a significant positive impact on pupils’ personal and social skills. “Pupils enjoy coming to school. This includes those who have been unhappy or excluded in the past.

“Parents and carers recognise the difference the school makes to their children’s behaviour.”

Chairman of the club, Paul Scally, said: “The Ofsted report was relevant to the period while the school were under control of the trust, one of the reasons why the club needed to regain control of the trust.

"They were a separate body. We are now working hard with the school to improve a number of things moving forward.”