Mass staff cuts at Boris primary failed by Ofsted

The school where Boris Johnson sent his children is facing a cull of staff amid a crisis in standards of teaching and children's behaviour.

Canonbury Primary in Islington will be failed by Ofsted in a "dire" judgment due to be published imminently.

A confidential report says classroom disruption has led to complaints from parents, who have included Transport Secretary Lord Adonis. Up to 30 of the school's 70 staff could now go as governors attempt to raise standards.

Last year Canonbury's thenheadteacher Jay Henderson was sacked from his £80,000-a-year job for watching pornography on school computers. In March, another former teacher, Robert Stringer, 57, died in a car crash on the eve of a trial for child rape and indecent assault charges at another school. There is no suggestion that Canonbury children were at risk of abuse but Islington council ordered the school to tighten up recruitment procedures.

Ofsted inspected Canonbury last term. A school insider described the inspectors' report as "dire".

The source said: "If standards are to be improved the headteacher needs to stamp his mark. These improvements are long overdue."

Canonbury's Sats results remain above average. New headteacher Matt Britt said: "Everyone wants the school to be as good as possible as quickly as possible."