A SCHOOL offering specialist support for pupils with dyslexia has been praised for making ‘marked improvements’.

The Unicorn School in Abingdon has bounced back from an earlier Ofsted rating of requires improvement, earning an overall rating of good after a reinspection in June.

It was championed in the ‘personal development, behaviour and welfare’ category, in which it received the top accolade of outstanding.

Inspectors for the school regulator wrote in a report: “There is no doubt that pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and well-being quickly flourish when they join this school.

“Leaders and staff are exceptionally successful in giving pupils’ personal development and welfare a real boost.

“Many parents shared moving stories with inspectors about how the Unicorn School has transformed their children’s experience of education.”

The private school in Marcham Road was rated requires improvement in 2015, after Ofsted found leaders did ‘not have a clear enough grasp of the school’s strengths or the areas where development is needed’.

But in the new report, published on Tuesday, inspectors wrote: “The school’s effectiveness has improved markedly since the previous inspection.

“Strong leadership and governance ensure that the independent school standards are all met.

“Many pupils had negative experiences in previous schools. Some had switched off from education altogether. Despite this, Unicorn pupils have extremely positive attitudes and work hard.”