Up to 200,000 children are getting a better education thanks to measures taken to stop schools from failing, education watchdog Ofsted said.

Another 100,000 can look forward to the same thing happening to them because of the work being done in schools that are in "special measures", the inspectors said.

They disclosed their findings, based on analysis of what has happened to schools in the regime over the past seven years, at the first Anglo-US conference on failing schools in Washington.

Ofsted's inspection director, Mike Tomlinson, said teaching and leadership standards had shown a dramatic improvement in many schools placed in "special measures" following damning reports by inspectors.