A SOUTHAMPTON primary school which was once rated ‘inadequate’ has now been pronounced as ‘good’ by Ofsted.

Rita Baker, the headteacher at Tanners Brook Primary School in Elmes Drive, said: “I’m very pleased with our recent Ofsted report.”

The school, which has 460 pupils, joined the junior and the infant schools and also became part of the Portswood Academy Trust four years ago.

This was during the time that Ofsted pronounced the school as ‘inadequate’.

Ms Baker said: “When we first became an academy and joined together the infant school with the junior schools, we went through a really wobbly time and it took a while to adjust.

“Because of this our Ofsted inspection then didn’t feel like it was true reflection of us as a school.

“Staff, pupils, everyone at the school have worked really hard to get this good result.

“The outcomes for the children are much better and the quality of teaching has improved.”

The school, since becoming an academy, has introduced a coaching system. There are coaches who are part of the academy that work across the school in parallel with the teachers in lessons.

Rita said: “The coaching has been really beneficial and we have embraced the change of being taken over by an acad- emy.

“Everyone here has worked as a team.”

Dr Keith Watson, CEO of Portswood Primary Academy Trust said: “We are delighted that Ofsted has recognised the significant improvements and achievement of the staff, children and whole community.”

What does the headteacher say?

I love working at Tanners Brook Primary School.

I feel that it is a friendly, exciting environment where everyone works hard, children and staff alike.

Everyone is keen to help each other and to do well.

I am so pleased with our wonderful Ofsted report which reflects the hard work done by the whole team. It has been a hard journey but working within the Portswood Primary Academy Trust we have been able to ensure all the children at Tanners Brook receive a ‘good’ education.

This is a first for the junior part of the school and the results for pupils have improved year on year and now in line with national standards.

I was pleased that the report recognised how inclusive we are as a school and that everyone who needs it receives “high quality support” to access the “engaging and exciting curriculum” that we provide to all pupils.

The staff make the lessons engaging for the children providing exciting hooks – like the day a spacecraft landed in year two and the Victorian day in year six when they all eat gruel!

We also link with a local charity to provide “opera” for year five and, reflecting the curriculum ethos of ‘studying our own backyard’, the year three children learn all about the docks culminating in a visit provided by DP World.

There are never two days the same at Tanners Brook – I guess that is why I have stayed for so long!