IT HAS had a turbulent few years, but now staff, pupils and parents at The Vyne School are celebrating after it received a “good” Ofsted report.

Headteacher Mark Kingswood said he was “brimming with pride” following the glowing report, published on May 27.

The dramatic turnaround has seen the school, in Vyne Road, transform after it was put in “special measures” in 2010 and graded as “inadequate”.

Various headteachers have since led the school, before Mr Kingswood took over the role in September 2013, taking a promotion.

Mr Kingswood, who joined as deputy head in 2010, told The Gazette when he accepted the top job: “I have an absolute belief in my own and the staff’s ability to make it an outstanding school.”

He has since led the school through steady improvement, which saw it graded as “requires improvement” by Ofsted in March 2014, with inspectors saying it was on course to “significantly” improve.

Mr Kingswood said he was “overjoyed” with the latest report, adding: “I believe the report to be a culmination of all the work we have done over the past five-and-a-half years to make The Vyne a school to be proud of.”

The school was graded as “good” in all areas following the inspection on May 10 and 11.

The report said: “Relationships are strong. Staff are ambitious for their pupils and determined in their aim to get the best from each one academically and personally.”

Inspectors found teaching to be “effective” and said: “Teachers plan interesting and enjoyable lessons. Their subject knowledge is good and this contributes to strong engagement by pupils.”

The education watchdog said that the school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is “outstanding”, adding: “Teachers and pastoral leaders have created a caring and inclusive environment.”

Although the proportion of Year 11 pupils achieving five GCSEs between A* and C, including English and maths, was lower in 2015 than the previous year and below national levels, the report said that these pupils started Year 7 with “attainment well below national levels” and therefore their progress overall was in line with national levels.

Mr Kingswood said: “Our main aim is to produce well-rounded, decent and tolerant young people who can contribute positively to society and respect others. We are known for our caring, family-centred ethos and again, I am brimming with pride that this has been recognised.”

He thanked students for their “commitment and loyalty” and parents for their “support and encouragement”, adding: “In addition, I wish to place on record my thanks to all of my staff and governors, who have been here through the tough times and the good, without whom none of this would have been possible.”

The school, which has 467 pupils on roll, is now oversubscribed in Year 7 next year, which Mr Kingswood said was “perhaps the biggest signal of our growing popularity and success”.

He added: “When I took over in September 2013, my vision was ‘three years good, five years outstanding’. At the time, there were a few chuckles and raised eyebrows, but my grand ambition does not seem so unrealistic now. My staff and I will stop at nothing to provide the best.”