A primary school has been branded inadequate by Ofsted after experiencing “a serious breakdown in leadership and management”.

Monega Primary School was downgraded from good after inspectors discovered a series of failings in the way it was being run.

The report, published earlier this month, claimed that “governors have bcome too involved in the day-to-day running of the school” and that they “have not worked effectively with leaders to communicate the strategic direction of the school”. Safeguarding training was also found not to be taking place.

At the time of the March inspection, the Monega Road, Manor Park school had no permanent headteacher, but since then one has been appointed and the governing body replaced after Newham Council stepped in.

Cabinet member for children and young people, Cllr Quintin Peppiatt, said: “We have every faith that these new leadership and governance arrangements will drive forward the rapid improvement of the school.

“It has been necessary to take such decisive action because of the serious failure of leadership by the previous chair of governors and the governing body as set out in the Ofsted report.

“The governing body had failed to address serious safeguarding issues and were ineffective at making the necessary changes to improve the school. Their actions were putting the personal development, safety and welfare of children at risk.

“This is why the council had to act and we can now be confident that children’s welfare at the school is no longer at risk.”

Inspectors found that the school’s governing body had “not offered effective support and challenge to the school’s leaders”.

The report continued: “The current fragility in school leadership is a consequence of the disputes and the subsequent breakdown in communication over time between senior leaders and governors.

“[Governors] have undermined school leaders through becoming overly involved in the day-to-day decision making and running of the school.”

The 703-pupil school did receive praise in some areas, however, including a good quality of teaching, especially in the early years.

Children were said to be “confident and well-behaved” and making “good progress”.