A learning centre in Watford that aims to get troubled teenagers back to school has received a glowing Ofsted report, in which staff and students received warm praise.

Chessbrook Education Support Centre, in Tolpits Lane, supports children aged between five and 16 years old who have either been permanently excluded or are at risk of permanent exclusion from school.

Inspectors visited the pupil referral unit in January and a report published this week described it as a "good centre with outstanding features".

The inspection highlighted the "outstanding" relationships between staff, pupils and parents, saying this has had led to students making "outstanding" progress in their personal development and "good" progress academically.

It described the centre as putting the students at the "heart of learning" and said staff brought an "excitement" into the centre.

Sue Howe, headteacher at Chessbrook, said the report would give students at the centre great encouragement. She said: "It is fantastic, we are very pleased with it.

"I think it sends out a strong message to our students that they are doing really well and I think it is important they see that."

From September, Chessbrook will open a new learning centre, which will include a new suite of classrooms and a new food technology room, to cater for permanent GCSE pupils at the centre.