THE impact of a new head teacher at a village primary school has been felt almost immediately an inspection found.

Ofsted inspectors said Sutton on the Forest CE School continues to be “good”, has progressed in key areas, and has a clear vision for its future improvement.

It was the school’s first Ofsted inspection since October 2013, when it had received a rating of “good”.

The report recognised that, while the school had recently undergone a difficult period of transition, involving unforeseen changes in both leadership and governance, the new head teacher Helen Pye had 'moved quickly to identify and prioritise areas for improvement and implement a new vision for the further development of the school'.

The inspector identified that in the short time since her appointment, Mrs Pye had begun to implement meaningful change that had not only received the support of the parents, but, had also positively influenced staff morale.

The report noted that, “the passion, enthusiasm and commitment of the new head teacher are pivotal to the continuous development” of a school which exudes “a caring, inclusive, warm and loving environment where staff and pupils feel valued and a part of a family.”

One of the key findings of the report was that there is a strong safeguarding culture in the school, with staff and governors being well versed in safeguarding practices and where the welfare of the pupils is paramount.

It was noted that the staff and school leaders at Sutton School 'put the children in the school at the heart of what they do'.

Mrs Pye said: “Myself and the team are extremely pleased and immensely proud to see that the Ofsted inspector noted so many positive things about the school.

"It was extremely encouraging to discover that she and the inspector had identified the same priorities to drive improvement further."

She said that the feedback said how impressed the inspection was with the way the staff team are committed in working together to bring about the very best opportunities for all children attending Sutton on the Forest.

Mrs Pye said: “I still cannot quite believe that I have been lucky enough to have such a wonderful school put into my care. I hope that all connected with the school will continue to work together to make Sutton the most fantastic place for children to grow, learn and succeed.”

Mrs Pye took over the helm at the start of the summer term.

She hails from York, and was previously a teacher at Badger Hill.