A SCHOOL that was branded as under-achieving has turned its fortunes around in only two years.

An inspection in 2001 by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, said Greencroft School, in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, was under-performing and had a too high absence rate.

Teachers have worked hard over the past two years to improve results and a return visit by the inspectors led to a glowing report.

Headteacher Chris Espiner said: "This is a fabulous achievement for the staff, pupils and governors. I am over the moon."

The inspection report says Greencroft is an effective and improving school and has come a long way since the last inspection. It also praises the improved quality of teaching, learning, leadership and management.

Areas where standards have improved include attendance in year 11, maths, religious education and information and communication technology teaching.

Lead inspector Bernard Stone commended the Language Resource Base, which works with pupils with communication difficulties.

He also singled out the arts department for praise.

Mr Espiner said: "The expertise of the speech and language therapists is very highly valued by teachers and pupils alike. I am delighted this has been recognised by the Ofsted inspectors.

"The biggest improvement was in attendance. We were under-achieving because of a very poor pupils' attendance record," he said.

"It took a while to get across to parents the basic premise that we could not teach kids that were not in school. We have raised attendance to 91 per cent - the first time it has exceeded 90 per cent in seven years."

The school is hoping to further crackdown on truancy by investing in a £40,000 electronic attendance system. The scheme, part funded by a £20,000 grant from the Department for Education and Skills, works by recording pupil attendance not just at morning and lunchtime, but in every lesson.

It is one of three schemes that herald a bright future for the school, the others being a £250,000 community computer suite and the establishment of the Youth Inclusion Programme on the site.

Mr Espiner said: "We are a community school and we work hard to live up to that title."