EDUCATION watchdogs have taken the unprecedented step of apologising to a Bromsgrove school unfairly criticised in an inspection.

Ofsted have said 'sorry' to Parkside Middle School for the recent report deeming it to have 'serious weaknesses'.

Headteacher John Graham lodged a series of complaints against ISIS, the firm contracted by Ofsted to carry out the inspection at the end of last year.

Six of the complaints have been upheld. Ofsted were unable to pass judgement on the other complaints, stating they were not present at the inspection.

Ofsted agreed that it appeared registered chief inspector Michael Merchant had 'cut and pasted' figures from another school for his pre-inspection commentary.

"This means that all the inspectors came into my school with pre-conceived ideas about what the school is like, based upon data from another school. It is absolutely terrible."

Other complaints upheld by the government watchdog include:

l The tone of reply to Mr Graham's complaints, from ISIS were not within Ofsted's strict code of conduct.

l The publishing of the report on the Ofsted website was well below standard.

l The draft report was late arriving in school and it was of poor quality.

l The report failed to recognise significant improvements since the school's last inspection.

l The reporting was overly negative.

However, Mr Graham said he will continue his battle with Ofsted and ISIS until the report is amended appropriately.

"I have come this far. I may as well take it all the way," he said.

Later he added: "In spite of these difficulties I would like to assure parents the underlining verdict of the Ofsted report is Parkside provides a satisfactory standard of education for its children," he added.

"In the period since the inspection, a number of issues raised have been resolved or are being resolved. I am determined to see that Parkside continues to offer a quality education to our children in a happy and supportive environment."

Ofsted declined to comment on the matter.