A primary school that has turned itself from inadequate to a place where pupils "bounce into school every morning" is celebrating its latest Ofsted inspection.

Ridgewell Church of England Primary School, in Halstead, has now been rated 'good' by the education watchdog.

The rating change comes after the school received the 'inadequate' tag several years ago.

Inspectors spent two days at the school in January, and they were impressed with the progress that had been made, submitting an extensive report that praised the values and ethos of the school.

The report said that the improvements were “clearly evident in pupils’ good conduct, respect and the care they show for one another.”

Headteacher of Ridgewell C of E Primary School, Kirsty Stuart, said: “We are delighted with our recent Ofsted report which acknowledges the hard work and dedication that staff and pupils put into their work at Ridgewell.

"It was recognised that, ‘Everyone makes sure pupils enjoy school and remain safe’, as is evident by pupils eagerly bouncing into school each morning.

“We are so thrilled with our pupils’ good behaviour and as expected, they were seen to ‘behave well, and concentrate on their activities without the need for reminders.

"I am so proud to be the headteacher of our wonderful small school and I look forward to continuing to build on our success so far.”

Ofsted have four levels of ratings, with Ridgewell Primary School jumping from the lowest level, 'inadequate', to just one off the top rating of 'outstanding', with their 'good' determination.

CEO of the Vine Schools Trust, who support Ridgewell Primary School, added: “We are incredibly proud of everyone at the school, staff and students alike, whose continual hard work and enthusiasm has been recognised by the inspectors at Ofsted.

"New leaders and the extra support available since becoming an academy have led to significant improvements, which were reflected in Ofsted’s detailed report.

"Hearing that the children receive a spiritual, moral and social education wherein they learn to celebrate each other’s achievements is wonderful, as these qualities are deeply embedded in the Trust’s core values.”

Both the school and local community are said to be delighted with the upturn in fortune, despite the complications of operating throughout the Covid pandemic.