A SCHOOL which was ordered to do better by Ofsted in January has been praised for improving.

Friars Primary School and Nursery, in Constable Way, Shoebury, was told to improve after an inspection found a number of issues including below average achievement, inconsistent teaching and poor behaviour. But a monitoring report by an Ofsted inspector, which has just been made public, found that the school is improving in areas including teaching and behaviour.

Executive headteacher Cheryl Woolf, who is also head of West Leigh Junior School, in Leigh, said: “It’s good news. We’re delighted and I’m delighted for everybody that the hard work of the staff and the children is paying off.

“Everybody is working really hard and we’ve had a lot of great support from parents as well. It’s a school in a lovely area, and we’re getting there.”