A DETERMINED Catholic primary school headteacher has helped get its rating upgraded from "requires improvement" to "good".

Helen Ellery, headteacher of St Amand's in East Hendred, has won her school the second-highest grade from education watchdog Ofsted.

The rating is a step-change from the school's last inspection in 2013 when it was told it needed to do better.

Inspector Richard Blackmore, who visited on March 16, said Mrs Ellery was "held in high regard by governors, the parish, staff, parents and the wider community".

In his report, published on April 20, he said: "The determination of the headteacher has driven improvements in teaching and learning.

"This has led to a quickening in pupils’ rates of progress, which are now good.

"She has established effective links with other schools so that teachers can learn from best practice across a range of subjects".

He said teachers ensured lessons held and sustained pupils' interest and teachers had good subject knowledge which was demonstrated in their response to questions.

Mr Blackmore also said that pupils' "personal development, behaviour and welfare" was "outstanding", the highest grade Ofsted offers.

In order to make the whole school "outstanding", Mr Blackmore said teachers needed to demand more from their most-able pupils and set more tasks that require pupils to write increasingly at length and use their writing skills in different subject areas.

The St Mary's Road school has 121 boys and girls aged between four and 11.