The headteacher of Sarratt Church of England School says the school’s future is “very exciting” after it was taken out of special measures.

The primary school was put into special measures in December 2014.

It was previously rated as excellent, but Ofsted inspectors said “pockets of good teaching were an exception, not the rule” and rated the school as inadequate.

The school has now been rated as Good, with inspectors praising the work of teachers, and the headteacher for creating a “sharp focus on raising standards”.

But they did say the “poorer quality of teaching in the past” affected the progress of older pupils.

Headteacher Pippa Bremner said they were working hard to “address this legacy of prior underachievement” and will continue to work with advisers from Herts for Learning – a not for profit company owned by Hertfordshire County Council and schools in the county – to boost pupil’s progress.

She said: “The future at the school is very exciting and we are very positive about it.

“We are fortunate to have wonderful children here who are a pleasure to teach every day. Our parents are very supportive of their children and of the school and we have a vibrant and supportive community.

“As a headteacher, it is very exciting to lead a school out of special measures. It validates all of the hard work that our whole team, including governors, have put in.

“We are optimistic that we have set up robust systems for developing staff and evaluating our achievements.”

Hertfordshire County Council also received praise for supporting the school while it was in special measures.

Ofsted inspector Lesley Daniel, said: “The quality of teaching is good and still improving.

“Teachers provide interesting activities for pupils.

“The most recent reported outcomes show that pupils’ attainment at the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is broadly in line with national outcomes.

“However, externally verified assessment information for pupils currently in the school shows that pupils in all year groups are making accelerated progress this year.”

“The school’s marking policy is clearly understood and well used by pupils because teachers use marking to let them know what they need to do to improve their work.”