A SCHOOL criticised for lacking drive, ambition and vision has come out of special measures after 18 months.

Parents, staff and pupils at Wheatley Primary School are celebrating after inspectors unexpectedly decided to remove the school from Ofsted categories at a monitoring visit.

The school was placed in special measures in November 2010.

Headteacher Joan Morters, who was among those criticised in the original report, has seen the school through the process with the support of an Oxfordshire County Council appointed interim executive board (IEB).

She said: “Everybody has worked together, the children, the staff, the parents and the IEB.

“Everybody has more drive. We wanted to achieve in the past but now we want to be the best we can all of the time in everything we do.”

Inspector Jonathan Palk said: “This is a vibrant and harmonious school where relationships are a strength, pupils enjoy learning and where teachers are increasingly skillful. Senior leaders are now more competent and confident in their strategic roles.”

He said inspectors saw good teaching from teachers previously only deemed satisfactory.

The Church of England school has now launched a consultation on becoming an academy.

Miss Morters said this seemed to be a logical step as a new governing body needed to be set up to replace the IEB.

Anne Davey, education director at the Diocese of Oxford, said: “It is fantastic news that the headteacher, governers and staff team have worked so hard to improve standards.

“Extra teachers have been providing one-to-one sessions in literacy. Efforts are being made to continue to improve.”

The news was welcomed by parents.

Shemina Kirby, from Littleworth, has two children at the school, five-year-old Dexter and eight-year-old Noah.

She said: “The curriculum has been much more engaging.

“They can experiment a lot more and use a lot more different ideas.”

Angela Curnock’s daughters Bethany, nine, and Rebecca, five, both attend Wheatley.

She said: “It’s brighter and more colourful, and children seem to have more of a sense of pride in their school.”

Parent champion Paula Hood, whose son Oliver and daughter Daisy are at the school, said the improvements had been particularly marked since the IEB took over in September 2011.

She said: “I was asked if I would take up the role of parent champion to try and encourage parents to become more involved in the school.

“Helping out on a Friday has allowed me first hand to see the increase in the pace of teaching and learning.”