A BRADFORD primary that was once hailed as an example of how a school can turn itself around has once again been told it is 'good' by Ofsted.

Miriam Lord Primary in Manningham is celebrating a positive inspection report which maintains the good rating given to the school in 2014, when it moved up from requiring improvement.

After that rating, Miriam Lord had been highlighted by Ofsted regional report as an example of how a school can turn its fortunes around, with the primary's "outstanding leadership and management" praised.

In a letter to Executive Head Bryan Harrison, Lesley Butcher, Her Majesty's Inspector, says: “The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

“You and your team are resolved that your school will welcome all pupils and you celebrate the rich heritage and experiences they arrive with. Your governors are experienced and highly effective in holding you and your leaders to account.

"Together, you are determined to ensure pupils who arrive in school during the school year settle quickly to learning and make appropriate progress.”

The inspector also commends efforts to address concerns about reading following a dip in 2017’s results. It points out that the school assessed which aspects of reading pupils were struggling with and which pupils needed the most help to further improve.

The letter praises Stef Deciacco the leader for literacy, for successfully introducing new ways of teaching reading. The school bought a new reading scheme called Project X which appeals to pupils of all ages and enables them to use phonics to work out new words.

The school also bought new reading books and refitted and stocked the library.

The Inspector found pupil attainment in phonics has improved over the last three years and a higher proportion of pupils are on track to attain the phonics screening check again this year.

She also says staff regularly run events for parents to help them read with their children and have successfully encouraged wider reading. Recent monitoring shows that over 70 per cent of pupils in each year group now read regularly at home.

Mr Harrison said: "We are really pleased to have maintained a Good Ofsted judgement since the last inspection. We are also pleased that Lesley Butcher commended our strenuous efforts to further improve mathematics, reading and attendance. We will continue to work with parents and carers to reduce persistent absence and have already started work on how we teach phonics.

“The whole school community deserves to be congratulated for working very hard to bring about the improvements which have led to such a positive letter from Ofsted.”