A PRIMARY school is celebrating after dragging itself out of special measures.

Less than two years after being tagged as a failing school, Seven Fields Primary School has officially been declared on the up after the Department for Education and Skills (Dfes) removed it from its black list.

The school in Leigh Road, Penhill, has made giant strides over the last 12 months and was recently named as Swindon's most improved school after being in the bottom 200 schools in the country in 2004.

Following the appointment of former Ofsted inspector Zita McCormick as headteacher last year Seven Fields has gone from strength to strength.

According to the Government's school league table in 2004, 126 per cent of pupils achieved level four or above in SATs, but last year that figure rocketed to 203 per cent.

And the improvement has been achieved despite the fact children are still being taught in mobile classrooms.

Mrs McCormick said that the normal cycle to bring a school out of special measures is two years so she is delighted with the efforts of everyone involved.

"Ofsted recognised the pace we improved was extraordinarily quick and it was because there was an incredible effort put forward by everyone in the school," she said.

"There was a significant emphasis placed on staff coaching and training.

"All the staff gave 150 per cent and were highly motivated and I was lucky to be assisted by assistant head and special educational needs specialist Janet Brown and assistant head Dave Cole, both of whose teaching is of outstanding quality in every subject."

Mrs McCormick applied the experience she gained as an inspector to introduce a new, better balanced curriculum that was enthusiastically received by the children.

She added: "I would also like to thank the governors who all worked very hard to implement their own schedule of improvements."

Assistant headteacher, Mrs Brown, is thrilled the school has had this success. "All of the staff are really pleased with the result that the children, teachers and parents have made," she said.

"This result is down to everyone's hard work. There has been a marked improvement in standards and we have got great parental support.

"The teachers are doing a great job and we hope we continue to move upward."

Mr Cole, added: "We are thrilled with the Ofsted report.

"Certainly leadership and management is one of the key issues that has improved.

"They praised us as they have in the past for the ethos of the school and the caring attitudes of parents and staff.

"Of course we had our excellent Year 2 and Year 6 results, which have shown we have raised standards.

"We are very positive and delighted with the progress we have made, but we really need to carry on the push that has been going on since Zita McCormick came to the school 12 months ago."

Coun Garry Perkins (Con, Shaw & Nine Elms), Swindon Council's cabinet member for children services, said: "This was a tremendous example of how good leadership and management is the key to improving standards in schools. The children cannot fail to benefit when there is such excellence."

A big turnaround

"THE standard of education is unsatisfactory for the vast majority of pupils".

This was the damning verdict from Ofsted inspectors two years ago, which pushed Seven Fields into special measures in February 2004.

Among the flaws pinpointed by inspectors were the "poor" leadership of the then-headteacher and standards in English, maths, science and RE and information and communication technology were classed as being "too low".

And although inspectors said teaching had satisfactory features, it was deemed unsatisfactory overall, while attendance was also poor.

But, following the appointment of Stewart Smith and now former Ofsted inspector Zita McCormick, Seven Fields has improved in leaps and bounds.

After the school's latest inspection last month, Ofsted inspectors noted that Seven Fields "is providing a satisfactory, and rapidly improving, standard of education for all its pupils".

The report added that since the arrival of Mrs McCormick, the quality of the school's self-evaluation is very strong and that Mrs McCormick's "excellent leadership" was well supported by the improving senior team and the school's capacity to improve further is secure.

"The pupils are happy, enjoy their learning, and are pleased to be at school," the report added.

"Relationships are very good and the pupils behave well.

"Standards are still very low although the teachers' rising expectations of what the pupils can achieve, and improvements in the quality of teaching, enable the pupils to make satisfactory, and often good progress in the lessons."

Parents have noticed a difference

PARENTS have spoken of their delight following the news that Seven Fields Primary School has been removed from special measures.

Andrea Cole, whose six-year-old son Jack Ockwell attends Seven Fields, has noticed a marked improvement in the school over the last 12 months.

"It is great news," she said.

"I think there has been a big difference over the last year and the children are so much happier.

"I feel more confident about the school now it's out of special measures."

Fellow mum Theresa Keegan, 38, who has four children at school, agreed. She said: "The behaviour of the children has really improved.

"There was a point when I was going to take my children out of the school, but the headteacher assured me things would improve and it is a lot better now."

Paul Plumb, 31, whose son Kyle Scott, eight, attends Seven Fields, said he has seen a huge overall improvement in the school.

"It has improved dramatically," he said. "There is a lot more of a friendly atmosphere when you come in.

"My son has improved over the last year and the teachers are more than happy to talk to you about any concerns.

"The Ofsted report was a real boost to the school, but the teachers have worked really hard."