OFSTED inspectors have praised progress at a Cowley school hoping to come out of special measures.

St Christopher’s C of E Primary School was judged inadequate by the standards watchdog in June 2009 because of low rates of achievement at Key Stage One and Key Stage Two.

An interim executive board replaced the governing body to push through improvements.

After a visit earlier this month – the fourth since the school was placed in special measures – inspectors said although Key Stage Two results remained below the national average, progress from an “exceptionally low” starting point had been better than expected.

They said this included improvements among previously poorly performing Pakistani and Bengali children.

Children’s rate of progress in reading, writing and maths continued to get better, inspector Chris Nye added.

He said: “Relationships between adults and pupils are excellent throughout the school and because teaching is more focused on pupils’ needs and interests they are much more engaged in their learning, and the pace and impact of lessons has improved considerably as a result.”

A new deputy head and two new teachers have been appointed at the Temple Road school since July.

The 339-pupil school was placed in special measures after school inspectors filed what a source at Oxfordshire County Council said was one of the worst reports it had ever seen.

Parent governor Jayne Harrison said: “There remain areas where improvements are needed, and these will obviously be focussed on next term.

“The main reason we didn’t come out of special measures this time was because they want to see evidence it can be sustained over a longer timeframe.

“We are hopeful that we will come out of the category at their next visit, which will be at some point before Easter.”

She added: “It is a very positive note on which to end the term.”

Hundreds of people in East Oxford and Cowley last year spoke out against plans to shut St Christopher’s and merge it into a ‘super academy’ for three to 19-year-olds.

But a few months later, after a 2,000 signature petition had been collected, the county council told parents and governors it would not include St Christopher’s in the academy scheme.