A SCHOOL is celebrating today after being given the thumbs up by inspectors seven years after being identified as having serious weaknesses.

A SCHOOL is celebrating today after being given the thumbs up by inspectors seven years after being identified as having serious weaknesses.

The Willows Primary School, in Downing Close, Ipswich, was found to provide a good all-round quality of education and good care for pupils following an Ofsted inspection earlier this month.

The report praised the “enthusiastic” team of teachers and described pupils as “happy and enthusiastic learners”.

Other plus points were that pupils made outstanding progress in maths and the quality of care was good.

Further work to improve standards in English and to make tracking pupils' progress were identified as areas to work on.

The report comes seven years after the school was identified as having “serious weaknesses”.

Chair of governors Mark Fotheringham said: “This independent inspectors report makes it clear that parents can be confident that The Willows will give their children a good start to their education.

“I congratulate everyone involved with the school, but I also promise that governors will keep working with the headteacher and the staff to improve still further.

“Parents expect nothing less.”

Headteacher Margo Barker said: “The report recognises publicly the several years of very hard work by everyone here, teachers, other staff, governors, parents and children, to achieve a good grade.”

Does your child attend The Willows? Do you want to praise the school's staff? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.