NYLAND School in Nythe is out of special measures after a government watchdog found ‘outstanding progress’ had been made in just a year.

The school, which teaches primary age pupils with behavioural, social and emotional difficulties, came under the emergency procedure last year after being branded ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted.

But now Nyland – recently renamed Nyland Campus – has come out of special measures after the school’s overall effectiveness was rated as ‘satisfactory’.

Executive headteacher Lauren Connor said: “I am thrilled to bits, absolutely thrilled to bits, so now we can go on the journey to making it outstanding because that’s what we want for our children.

“The really big message I would like to get across is no matter what was going on in the school, the staff turned up every day and they never gave up.

“They tried, they made a difference, they said ‘we can do this, we will do it’, and they have done it. It is just amazing what they have achieved in a year.”

The school, in Nyland Road, was placed in special measures in September 2009 after Ofsted rated it ‘inadequate’ for 22 of its 24 assessment categories.

Staff received extra support from Swindon Council to improve standards and Ofsted carried out regular monitoring visits.

As part of the improvement plan, Nyland entered into a federation with Moredon Primary School and Nursery School, Rodbourne Cheney Primary School and Moredon Children’s Centre.

Staff also introduced a new approach to teaching in which the curriculum is delivered through lessons on subjects chosen by the children, which so far have included dragons, armies and Legoland.

Ms Connor said that the turning point came during an Ofsted monitoring visit in October when the inspector was so impressed that she turned it into a full inspection and took the school out of special measures.

Out of the 24 assessment categories, Ofsted rated the school good in 11, satisfactory in 12 and inadequate in only one – pupil attainment.

In the report, published on Wednesday, inspector Steffi Penny wrote: “Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

“Since the last inspection outstanding progress has been made at the Nyland Campus so that the school now provides a satisfactory quality of education for its pupils. There are many good features.

“Its greatest strength lies in the quality of its leaders and managers. Their swift action has ensured that the school’s priorities centre on pupils’ learning and that statutory requirements are met.”

Ms Penny also found out that health and safety audits and risk assessments were appropriate, regularly carried out and acted upon.

Coun David Renard, cabinet member for children’s services at Swindon Council, said: “What is most remarkable is how quickly it has all been turned around.

“We are delighted that Swindon is once again in a position where it doesn’t have any schools in special measures.”