The headteacher of a West Watford primary school has said it is at a crucial turning point in its bid to become a good school.

John Fowler’s comments came after Ofsted published a monitoring report on the Holywell Primary School, rated as “satisfactory”, saying it had made improvements since inspectors last visited.

Although the government inspectorate highlighted areas where it wants further improvements at the Tolpits Lane school, Mr Fowler said he felt it was on course to improve its rating by next year.

Ofsted gives all schools a rating of one to four, with one being “outstanding”, two “good”, three “satisfactory” and four “unacceptable”.

Mr Fowler said he hoped eventually to see the school achieve an “outstanding” rating during his headship.

Speaking to the Watford Observer he said: “The phrase I am using with staff is that we are at a turning point and I think it is upwards and onwards from here.”

Ofsted inspector David Jones visited the school on December 14 and his report was published this week.

The monitoring inspection came as a follow up to the school’s 2010 Ofsted report where its “satisfactory” rating noted a number of areas for Holywell to improve on.

The school was told to get better results in maths and science and put a framework in place to bring its overall performance up.

Since then. Mr Jones said, it has made progress.

The report states: “Having considered all the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made satisfactory progress in making improvements and satisfactory progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement.”

However the report said the school’s 2011 Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 results were still “significantly below the national averages”, with maths mentioned as a particular problem area.

During the inspection, Mr Jones observed five lessons and described the teaching he saw as satisfactory with some good aspects.

He said: “In lessons, most pupils make appropriate progress and some are now making good progress, albeit from a low baseline. Improvements in teaching are making a difference, although there is a considerable amount of work to do if the gaps in the pupils’ prior learning are to be addressed.”

Mr Jones concluded his report saying: “Although much has been done to improve provision and raise standards, the school’s 2012 targets remain close to the floor targets set by Government as the minimum level of acceptable performance for primary schools.”

Following the release of the report Mr Fowler said he was encouraged that progress at the school was being recognised.

He was appointed head of Holywell Primary at Easter 2010 coming from Cuffley school in Potters Bar, which he left with an Ofsted rating of “good”. Holywell is his third headship.

During his tenure he said he had made changes to the school’s curriculum and broadened the experiences of children at the school, citing activities such as abseiling and visiting ballet shows.

“Of the three grades we could have got it is the top grade,” said Mr Fowler. “So we are please to get the highest possible and we were pleased with some of the statements on it.

“The challenge for us this that the children coming in are at a very low standard. Our challenge is about progressing the children as much as we can to get them to the highest possible standard.”

Mr Fowler added that he had high ambitions for the school and planned to turn it into an outstanding place of learning.

“Our aspiration is for “outstanding”, that’s what we hope to do,” he said.

“We are likely to have an Ofsted inspection in the autumn and we are hoping for at least a “good”. But I have a five to seven year plan to make us ‘outstanding’.”