DELIGHTED staff, pupils and governors at a Southend school are celebrating after receiving a “Good” rating from Ofsted.

Porters Grange Primary School and Nursery in Lancaster Gardens, Southend, had a “Good” rating awarded for each of the five individual categories, representing a significant turnaround from the previous “Inadequate” rating from April 2015.

School leaders are thrilled with the report and point to Ofsted’s comment highlighting their “outstanding” work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare.

The inspection team visited the school in November and observed lessons, spoke to governors, trustees and parents.

In their report, released yesterday, inspectors say leaders and staff have created a nurturing and inclusive learning environment, ensuring that pupils settle quickly and become confident learners.

The report says the Executive Headteacher, Cheryl Woolf, has developed a strong team ethic and that staff work together well and are committed to making the school as good as it can be.

The report said: “Leaders have an unwavering commitment to the pupils and their families. Through their actions and a strong moral purpose, leaders demonstrate their care and concern for all in the school community.”

Mrs Woolf, also Chief Executive Officer of Portico Academy Trust of which Porters Grange is part, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this report, which is testament to the outstanding contribution, dedication and hard work of our staff and governors.

“From the outset our clear focus was to enable consistently good teaching right across the school. We have relentlessly pursued this on a daily basis as can be seen in our ever improving progress year on year.

“We recognize that schools are all about learning. I would like to thank our supportive parents, the staff and our pupils for making Porters Grange such a wonderful school.”

The report praised Portico Academy Trust leaders and governors who “work well together to ensure that the school receives good support”.

Graham Lane, chair of the local governing body, said: “During my time as chair I have seen remarkable improvements at the school. Porters Grange is now almost unrecognisable from the school I remember three years ago.

“I am so proud that the school has now been awarded the public recognition it so rightly deserves.”