PUPILS and staff at a Suffolk middle school had something to smile about after receiving praise from Ofsted and also coming out of special measures.Leiston Middle School's latest Ofsted report, which was carried out on June 19, said improvements had been made and it was well placed to move forward.

PUPILS and staff at a Suffolk middle school had something to smile about after receiving praise from Ofsted and also coming out of special measures.

Leiston Middle School's latest Ofsted report, which was carried out on June 19, said improvements had been made and it was well placed to move forward.

Headteacher Bill Carson said: “This was the icing on the cake after all the hard work by staff, pupils, parents, governors and the local authority.

“When I came to the school 18 months ago, it was in the knowledge that this was a school that had the potential to move forward.

“I had been at my last school for many years and need a new challenge and this was it. I believe that coming to Leiston Middle School has been the best move that I have made in education. I was delighted with the staff, parents and pupils from the start.”

The report says that through the leadership of Mr Carson the school has built on past successes to develop a school that shows “good improvements in raising standards”, pupils receiving “many more good and outstanding lessons” and that “pupils feel free from any form of bullying and harassment”.

Mr Carson said it had been a huge team effort to enable the school to show its true colours, and the governors and local authority have both been a vital part of the positive changes.

Parent Ticky Wright, whose son Johnnie was a pupil, said: “I was not happy with the school before Mr Carson came and Johnnie needed support from the school, I needed support as well while I studied to become a nurse. Mr Carson gave us that support and now Johnnie is ready to go to the high school in September, I cannot thank the head and the school enough for all of their help.”