Eight Kingston schools “require improvement” according to new data released by Ofsted this week.

Inspection results from the past academic year show that six schools in Chessington are in need of improvement, as are two in New Malden.

The latest figures are the first batch released since the “satisfactory” category was replaced with “requires improvement”, on the Ofsted inspection scale earlier this year.

It has left Chessington schools, Castle Hill, Ellingham, Lovelace, St Mary’s, Chessington Community College and special school St Phillips in the “requires improvement” bracket, alongside Malden Manor and King’s Oak.

Chessington councillor Patricia Bamford, former lead member for children and young people, said: “Chessington Community College has better GCSE results than it has ever had, so it goes against the judgement that Ofsted gave – it is improving already. I think we have got some really good schools and there are improvements being undertaken as we speak.”

A spokeswoman from Ofsted said: “‘Satisfactory’ just did not have the same level of urgency as ‘requires improvement’. Before, we were seeing schools that were satisfactory and staying on satisfactory for six years and sometimes even longer – up to 12 years.

“The thought was that for all schools ‘good’ was the only possible judgement, not just coasting along.

“It kind of galvanises them to push for improvement.”

The new Ofsted framework means that schools rated ‘outstanding’ will no longer have routine inspections.

The data shows 7,000 school inspections with 39 per cent of them showing an improvement, 41 per cent of schools staying in the same category and 18 per cent performing less well.

Out of the 40 schools inspected last year Kingston had 22 rates ‘outstanding’, 18 rated ‘good’ and no inadequate schools unlike neighbouring borough Richmond that had one.

Councillor David Ryder-Mills, lead members for schools and continuing education, said: “I do not see how there could be a problem in Chessington. For starters, two of these take students from all over the borough.

“The improvements are strong and sustainable and Education Kingston is confident that they will get ‘good’ at the next inspection.”