A WITNEY school has been rated 'good' by Ofsted as it prepares to welcome its largest cohort in several years.

Inspectors said Wood Green School was 'gaining the confidence of the local community' following a visit last month.

The school was praised for its strong staff morale, 'welcoming and friendly' pupils and the support on offer to Sixth Form students.

In a letter to the headteacher, Rob Shadbolt, inspectors wrote: “You have created a calm, purposeful environment that staff, pupils and visitors enjoy.

"You effectively balance your drive to improve standards with the well-being of staff and pupils. Consequently, staff morale is strong."

Read again: Schools Focus: Wood Green ready for 'next level'

The short inspection followed a previous 'good' rating from Ofsted, but it came less than six years after Wood Green was placed in special measures by the education body in November 2013.

Two years later, the school regained its 'good' rating and has since become increasingly popular.

In 2014, fewer than 160 students joined Wood Green, but the school has had more than 230 first choice applications for September 2019.

Parents were asked by Ofsted to answer a questionnaire, with one replying: "We are lucky to have this school for our community.

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"The staff are well respected by pupils and parents and go above and beyond to ensure our children receive first-class education.”

Mr Shadbolt said: "This report is even better than the previous one, showing our improvement. It was also very heartening for staff to learn how much parents value what they do.

"There are still many things that we wish to develop and our challenge is to continue to improve as the number of students choosing Wood Green School increases. I am very excited about the future.”