PARENTS whose children attend Worcester's Elbury Mount Primary have been told for the first time in detail why the school was taken off Special Measures.

In a report, Government inspectors say standards of learning, teaching, management and discipline have all improved.

Although children's attainment is still below or well below national expectations, inspectors believe the school's governors, headteacher and teaching staff are now firmly committed to raising achievement.

The quality of teaching was particularly praised as being consistently sound and often good and headteacher Kay Morgan was said to provide sound leadership and clear direction.

The inspectors, from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) hailed the school's moral and social development as a strength.

Despite being threatened with closure by Worcestershire's Local Education Authority, the Brickfields school was taken off Special Measures in May - less than two years after being failed in October 1998.

Parents collecting children from the first day of term last week were handed a report summary.

It says the school has made "reasonable progress" in raising standards in all three core subjects at Key Stage 2, although standards still remain below average.

"There is evidence that levels of attainment are beginning to improve although much remains to be addressed," said their report.

"The work of the oldest pupils continues to improve. The work in the two special needs classes is increasingly focused upon the pupils' attainment and progress."

It says many of the children removed from the school after the LEA threatened closure in December were of average or above average ability.

But the school has "considerably improved" its behaviour management of some pupils, having taken advice from experts.

The latest report reveals 43 per cent of the school's 192 pupils are entitled to free school meals and 89 children have special educational needs, although only three have Statements of SEN.

In April, the school won its battle with Worcestershire LEA to remain open after securing strong public backing.

The report said the closure threat had contributed to a "great deal of turbulence" and issues over management of its budget still had to be resolved.

In a joint statement with the LEA, the school said it was "very pleased" with the report and recognised that staff, pupils and parents had worked very hard during the last year.

"This is a wonderful outcome and the local authority and the school will continue to work together to make sure that the school continues to move forward."