A PRIMARY school which Government inspectors said four years ago needed special measures has won top marks for pulling off an "exceptional turnaround".

And St Anthony's RC Primary in the deprived Shadsworth area of Blackburn has a strong commitment to further improvement, an Ofsted team added.

A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Council's Education and Lifelong Learning Department commented: "This is a fantastic achievement for the school. The turnaround was classed by the inspectors to be 'exceptional'."

Headteacher Anne Connor, who joined the schoo in 1997, said: "Right from the beginning we had a shared vision. We knew where we wanted to go and everyone -- staff, parents, governors and children -- worked towards it. We have not lost that vision."

The inspectors said that the overall teaching at St Anthony's is good, with some very good features. Relationships are very good between pupils and adults, and among the pupils themselves.

Pupils have a very good attitude to school and enjoy it, and they are are keen to do their best in their work.

The excellent relationships between teacher and pupil start early in nursery and reception and go on throughout the child's life within school, the inspectors add.

And attendance rates at St Anthony's is above the national average. Lessons such as English and mathematics are taught well because the national initiatives for literacy and numeracy have been fully implemented, and the inspectors said they were very impressed by two excellent science lessons which were seen in the mixed Year Five and Six classes.

The inspectors also commented on the "effective leadership" of the headteacher who had played a central role in the progress the school has made and in its transformation since the 1997 Ofsted inspection.

The parents know that St Anthony's expects their child to work hard and achieve their best. And the school is playing a positive role in helping pupils to become mature and responsible.

Headteacher Miss Connor said "We are extremely pleased that the commitment and hard work of all the staff, governors, parents and pupils together has been praised by Ofsted, and we are grateful for the help of the local education authority.

"We have worked extremely hard over the last four years to raise standards in the school, and it is rewarding that our efforts have been recognised."

Tracking pupils' progress had played a significant part in improving their performance, she added.

"If a pupil is not moving forward we ask why and what can we do. And if someone is doing well we ask what it is that is working.

"With many children arriving here we have a lot of work to do to get them to 'Go' in the first place."

St Anthony's RC Primary has 226 pupils, with a further 28 in the nursery, and 10 teachers.