A FOREST school has lifted itself out of special measures in an unusually short time.

Wyedean School in Sedbury was placed in special measures – which meant the school was more closely monitored by standards body Ofsted – in November last year.

Ofsted inspectors moved the school out of special measures following a monitoring visit last week.

Headteacher Mr Clive Pemberton said most schools took between 18 months and two years to be taken out of special measures.

He said: "The whole school community is delighted to have achieved such a successful outcome in so short a time.

"Most schools take between 18 and 24 months to achieve what we have achieved.

"Staff and students have worked incredibly hard over the last twelve months to show Ofsted just how good a school we are and the inspectors recognised that we have made significant and sustainable improvements."

"We are looking forward to a very positive official inspection report, which will be published in a fortnight's time, and will be available on the Wyedean and the Ofsted websites."

The school was praised by inspectors for improvements in achievement, teaching and leadership, and for the behaviour of its students.

Wyedean's GCSE exam results this summer were the best in the school's history and were followed by improved Sixth Form results.

The school was placed in special measures because pupils' achievements were considered inadequate by Ofsted inspectors.

In a meeting with parents, after the special measures judgement had been made public, Mr Pemberton said it was based on under-par exam results in the previous two years and, because of that, "other judgements were similarly harsh."

Parents were also told that inspectors had felt Wyedean "did not feel like a special measures school."