AN independent secondary school in Halstead has received a positive review from education inspectors less than two years after being told to make improvements.

The Yellow House School in Sible Hedingham, which tutors vulnerable young people between the ages of 13 and 17, was told it requires improvements in 2017 following a visit from Ofsted and an additional inspection last year still found some short comings.

But the specialist school, helmed by principal Mr David Ollier, has now received an overall rating of ‘good’ following a recent visit in June.

In a report, published earlier this month, the governing body highlights the institution’s improved attendance records and the teachers’ knowledge of their pupils, giving them the ability to plan lessons effectively in order to meet their needs.

Ofsted was also impressed with how the school ensures the protection of the vulnerable children in its care is of high priority and supportive and praised the welcoming environment, which has resulted in some students enjoying their learning for the first time.

Yellow House School’s principal David Ollier said: “I am so proud of my staff. They have gone above and beyond to help me achieve real change.

“Our inspector really saw the great work that has gone into improving our buildings to ensure they match our practice.

"We know we offer our families a quality education that makes a very real difference to the young people we work with.

"We will continue to work hard to ensure our school is a leader in therapeutic education in this region."

Despite the glowing review, Ofsted has also raised a few minor concerns that the school should look to address to now bridge the gap between a rating of ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’.

In order to achieve this, Ofsted would like to see the school ensuring pupils are supported so they can catch up quickly with their reading and writing skills.

They would also like Yellow House to identify strategies to heighten pupils’ attendance and reduce incidents of persistent absence.