A SCHOOL that was told to improve two years ago has turned itself around and is planning to expand.

Pembroke Park Primary School in Devizes Road, Salisbury, is going to become a two-form entry school.

Headteacher John Wells said the school would be making use of the vacated Diocesan education offices on the site by converting them into classrooms.

He said it was an exciting time for the school since it was inspected by Ofsted in March 2012 and given a Notice to Improve due to poor results at the end of Key Stage 2.

He said: “Since then our results have improved at a remarkable rate”.

The school achieved academy status with The Education Fellowship Trust last April. Mr Wells added: “Our pupils’ progress in reading is now in line with the local authority average and better than local authority averages in writing and mathematics.

“We have achieved this by remaining focused on maintaining high quality teaching throughout the school from Early Years, KS1 and KS2 over the past three years. The impact is now beginning to show in progress and results at the end of KS2.”

He said in 2013, 73 per cent of pupils achieved Level 4 or better in reading, writing and mathematics combined. He added: “This is an incredible 37 per cent improvement on last year and above the government Floor Standard (expected standard for primary schools) for the first time.”