A Conservative party leader has defended a councillor's position on an education scrutiny committee after her role on the governing board at a failing primary school was heavily criticised. 

After 15 years as chair of governors at Longshaw Primary School, Conservative councillor for Hatch Lane Marion Fitzgerald resigned in March following a damning Ofsted inspection which placed the Chingford school in special measures.  

Her role 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. 

Ofsted previously praised the tireless and determined leadership in 2009, rating the school as 'good' overall, but said it is now failing to give its 460-plus pupils an acceptable standard of education. 

Councillor Fitzgerald has lodged a formal complaint to Ofsted in connection with the report and inspection carried out in February. 

She was elected by the Waltham Forest Conservative party to sit on the council's education scrutiny committee.

Party leader councillor Matt Davis has today (May 21) defended her position.   

Cllr Davis, said: "Councillor Fitzgerald continues to enjoy the full support of the Conservative council group who strongly believe that the Ofsted report has erroneously done her a great disservice and has attributed the blame for the unacceptably poor performance at Longshaw Primary School in entirely the wrong direction. 

"As such she will continue to be our representative on the education scrutiny committee where she is universally acknowledged to have done a great deal of excellent work over many years."

Headteacher at Longshaw Primary School until 2014, Carol Kirkland, elected Cllr Fitzgerald in 2000 after inheriting a governing body with "some weaknesses". 

"She was passionate about improving the governance of the school and throughout the period in which we worked together, she remained totally committed and dedicated in this role," said Ms Kirkland. 

"She was a strategic leader and played a vital role in ensuring that all children at Longshaw obtained the best possible education.

"Three Ofsted inspections were held while I was headteacher at Longshaw, and the school was categorised as good in all areas, including governance.   

"I was extremely sorry to learn that Cllr Fitzgerald had chosen to resign and this will undoubtedly be a very great loss to Longshaw Primary School."

In a letter to parents last month, headteacher Kerry Munden said it is her intention to have the school out of special measures by 2016. 

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