A school which was placed in ‘special measures’ three years ago has been given an ‘outstanding’ grade by inspectors.

St Thomas’ of Canterbury RC Primary School in Higher Broughton has received an ‘outstanding’ mark following government inspector Ofsted's visit to the school in January.

It is the first primary school in Salford to be awarded with an ‘outstanding’ grade.

The school was placed in special measures just over three years ago due to poor achievements and lack of strong leadership.

Following the appointment of David Deane as headteacher in January 2007, the whole school community has worked tirelessly to overcome barriers to learning and was graded ‘good’ by Ofsted in July 2008.

In a report outlining the latest inspection, inspectors praised the school's commitment to improving standards.

They said: "The school has built on the strengths in leadership and management that were evident at the last inspection. The headteacher continues to drive improvement with great ambition for the pupils. Staff and governors are committed to providing the best possible quality of teaching and support in order to narrow the attainment gap and enable every pupil to achieve.

"The school’s record of continuous improvement, its clear vision for the future, and its increased leadership capacity mean it is in a very well-placed to go from strength to strength."

Mr Deane praised the efforts made by pupils, staff and the school's partners which include the Salford Diocese.

He said: "Our school has a fantastic team of talented and dedicated teachers and classroom assistants, who have the highest expectations of what all children can achieve. We never give up on any child and ensure that learning is personalised in order to meet the needs of all children, including those in groups who might not otherwise thrive."