A PRIMARY school branded inadequate by Ofsted inspectors last year is on track to turn itself around, the education watchdog has found.

Thomas Willingale School, in The Broadway, Debden, was placed into special measures in September 2011 and has since undergone three monitoring checks.

But inspectors visiting the school last month found it was making good progress toward improving standards.

In a report published yesterday, inspector Julie Winyard praised headteacher Nicky Barrand for her 'determination and unrelenting focus on providing the best education for the pupils'.

She said: "Staff have a great deal of confidence in her and recognise how many improvements have been made since last year."

The report highlighted particular improvements in nursery and reception class teaching and pupils' achievements in mathematics and English.

But Ms Winyard called for further improvement in the teaching of the school's younger children, as well as its most able students.

She said: "In some lessons observed, more able pupils are not always given work that is hard enough for them, and where this is the case, do not always do as well as they could."

Mrs Barrand - who joined the school just weeks before it was judged to be failing - said she had found working with Ofsted 'challenging and stimulating' and was confident the school could address remaining weaknesses.

She said: "We have a new member of staff who has responsibility for leading the development of more able pupils and she is working with all members of staff to ensure that activities are challenging and interesting.

"All teaching staff are now appropriately qualified and the new staff who have joined the school have brought a range of new skills and ideas which are blending well with our existing staff."