A Watford junior school has improved its Ofsted rating from satisfactory to good, thanks to strong leadership from the head teacher and senior staff.

The schools’ inspectorate observed 19 lessons at Field School, including two joint observations with senior leaders.

The inspectors also made a number of brief visits to other lessons.

Julie Henley-Washford said: "It’s the work of the whole staff team over the past two years, raising the standard and maintaining the breadth of the curriculum."

The inspectors concluded that pupils make good progress and by the end of year six are very advanced in mathematics and English.

The improvement in mathematics was put down to very effective work ensuring pupils develop good mental skills and learn to apply these to solve complex number problems.

Inspectors also commented on the good behaviour of pupils which ensures they make the best of their time in lessons.

They added: "Pupils say how much they enjoy school because they feel safe and free from bullying. There have been no recent exclusions and attendance is consistently above average.

"Consistently good, and sometimes outstanding, teaching means that pupils achieve well in all classes.

"Teachers make learning fun and have high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

"Good leadership by the head teacher and senior staff is a key reason for the school’s rapid improvement in the quality of teaching and pupils’ standards."

In order to improve to outstanding standard, the highest rating Ofsted can give, inspectors felt it was necessary for school to improve its achievement in writing, which lags behind reading and mathematics.

The report concluded: "The head teacher is a good leader with high expectations of staff and pupils.

"Her goals for the school are ambitious yet achievable and have done much to improve achievement over the last two years. Weaknesses in mathematics, for example, were identified and through rigorous training and strong subject leadership it has become the school’s main strength."