A councillor and long-standing chair of governors at a failing primary school has filed a complaint to Ofsted following a damning inpsection report. 

Conservative councillor for Hatch Lane Marion Fitzgerald, who also sits on Waltham Forest council's education scrutiny committee, has filed a complaint about the report which led to Longshaw Primary School in Chingford being placed under special measures. 

As chair of governors during the time of the inspection in February, councillor Fitzgerald and the entire board of governors were criticised for "hindering school improvement" by failing to hold the school to account for pupils' achievement. 

The leadership and management at the Longshaw Road school was rated as inadequate, with governors accused by Ofsted of failing to tackle underperformance effectively and not having high enough expectations of disadvantaged pupils. 

The quality of teaching and achievements were all found to be inadequate while the behaviour and safety of pupils and early years provision both required improvement. 

Cllr Fitzgerald, said: "I regret that at this time I am unable to comment, as I am awaiting a response from Ofsted to the complaint I have submitted in connection with the inspection and the report."

Several changes have been made since the inspection, including replacing councillor Fitzgerald as chair and appointing two new parent governors. 

Headteacher Kerry Munden has said the governing body will now be working closely with governors at Handsworth Primary School in Handsworth Avenue, Highams Park, which has been awarded the Governor Mark, a national award recognising excellence in governance.

Handsworth headteacher Jill Augustin has been appointed as interim executive headteacher at Longshaw Primary School to support the school's improvement. 

In a letter to parents last month, Ms Munden wrote: "We are confident that, with a strengthened governing body and leadership team and following up the Ofsted report with a detailed action plan, we can achieve the status of a 'good' school in the near future." 

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Longshaw Primary School praised in 2009 for raising the achievement of pupils, rated as inadequate