A 'DETERMINED' school has started to improve standards after being rated 'inadequate' almost one year ago.

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Carterton was criticised after an Ofsted inspection in November 2017, but has since made progress.

Concerns were raised last year about children's safety and slipping standards, as the school was previously rated 'good'.

READ AGAIN: St Joseph's in Carterton rated 'inadequate' by Ofsted

Ofsted said the decline was partly due to Dominic Barberi Multi Academy Company, which runs the academy, being 'preoccupied' by financial issues at the time.

But a new letter sent by Ofsted to the school's principal Lisa Smith, based on a monitoring inspection in September, states: "Leaders are determined that quality of education and leadership will improve.

"Their ambition is beginning to have a positive effect on the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection, and the school is well placed this year to improve further.

"You have made some very real improvements to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment."

The report noted that since the last inspection the school has 'closed its nursery provision'.

It added: "You quickly addressed the safeguarding issues identified in the early years environment.

"All staff are much more vigilant about safety as a result.

"Many of the findings of the previous review are now no longer relevant."

It said governors needed more training but were 'keen and enthusiastic', and the school's improvement plan is fit for purpose.

When a school is rated 'inadequate' it is placed in one of two categories of concern: serious weaknesses, or special measures.

St Joseph's was placed in the former, the less serious of the two, and the inspector concluded in her letter: "Leaders and managers are taking effective actions towards the removal of the serious weaknesses designation."