St Gregory's Catholic primary school has gone from strength-to-strength over the last three years and has been awarded a good rating from Ofsted in its latest assessment.

This is a significant improvement from the last Ofsted report, which received a 'requiring improvement' rating in November 2016.

Inspectors visited the school in May and scored it as good overall, with effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; outcomes for pupils and early years provision all scoring good and personal development, behaviour and welfare achieving an outstanding category.

The appointment of executive headteacher Jacqueline Hampson was said to be the turning point for the school's improvement. Ofsted said in their report: "Together with the current head of school, she has created a culture where both staff and pupils strive to achieve the best they can."

Mrs Hampson said also being the executive headteacher of outstanding school Our Lady and St Patrick's Catholic primary school at Maryport has given her really good experience to improve things.

Mrs Hampson said: "We have put a lot of time into the teachers professional development, improving teaching, assessing children's progress and tailoring teaching to meet the needs of each child.

"It's been hard work, everyone has worked hard and I feel it's a great place to work and to be a child. They enjoy activities and we try to make learning fun and exciting."

She said along with the head Laura McAllister who runs the school on a day-to-day basis everyone has done their part, the governors, teachers and teaching assistants.

Both Mrs Hampson and Mrs McAllister started at the school after the last assessment and knew they were coming to a school that required improvement. They have turned the school around in two and half years.

Inspectors noted that staff morale is high, governors have improved the quality of their work and in the early years and throughout the school pupils make good progress.

They said the care that pupils receive is of the highest quality and also recognised that leaders have systematically and skilfully improved teaching with high-quality planning and are now beginning to improve other subjects not just English and maths.

Pupils' behaviour was acknowledged with inspectors describing behaviour as outstanding in lessons and

around the school.

Going forward the report recommends further developing the skills and confidence of middle leaders and the curriculum and giving support to families to ensure pupil absences are reduced in school.