A SPECIAL school in Dursley has shown a Stroud MP and education committee member its improvements and plans for the future after it was labelled 'inadequate' by the official body Ofsted.

The Peak Academy invited MP for Stroud Neil Carmichael to visit the school on Thursday, December 18 and see changes made by their new senior leadership team, formed in June.

Mr Carmichael was given a tour of the academy and met staff and students as they prepared to celebrate the Christmas festivities over a meal in their decorated canteen.

Mr Carmichael said: “I’ve had a good time speaking to staff and learning a lot about the school, and seen many of the improvements they told me about when meeting them.

“It was my first time visiting the academy and it’s been a good opportunity to see what’s going on here and meet the people involved in the new leadership team.”

Mr Carmichael is a member of the Education Select Committee and the Environmental Audit Committee, and has established an all parliamentary party group for governance and leadership in education.

He added: “I can see they have a really good team here working hard with a great headteacher and I can go back and report to the council the work they’ve already done."

The new leadership team, made up of five members of staff, have worked with a brand new ethos after Ofsted declared the school ‘inadequate’ and in need of ‘special measures’ on Tuesday, June 17.

The school, on Drake Lane, was visited by a representative of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services, and Skills after the Ofsted report and was commended the following day about the progress made since the inspection.

School governor Christopher Dunn organised the visit and said: “I wanted Mr Carmichael to see the school to point out that the academy has gone through hard times, but we are working hard now to make changes and it was a chance for him to also identify what needs to be done.”

“He was able to have a good look around and speak with staff about what they have accomplished.”

Refurbishments include a new library and media centre in the academy and the creation of a chicken pen on the grounds to encourage students to contribute outdoors.

Mr Carmichael was shown the refurbished rooms in the academy and said: “The place looks really good and I think people will always feel better if they are working in a nicer looking environment. The canteen decorated for Christmas looks fantastic."

Headteacher, Richard Lewis runs the new leadership team with deputy head teacher Andy Vinton, assistant head teacher Dave Dearsley, key stage four manager Andrea Andrews and safe-guarding officer Sandra Rogers.

Find out more information about the academy by visiting their website at thepeakacademy.org.