A SCHOOL is looking towards a more successful future a year after it was told by Government inspectors to prove it can do better.

An Office for Standards in Education report on Dodmire Junior School, Darlington, highlighted weaknesses and the inspectors gave it 40 days to draw up an action plan.

Now, 12 months on, the school is expecting another visit from inspectors and believes it will do much better, having already seen a rise in its Key Stage Two results.

Robert Mellard, headteacher, said figures already published showed the school to be the most improved in the Darlington education authority area.

He said: "The hard work of the staff and all the children in the school is beginning to reap the benefits of good results. We are going to build on that."

Geoff Pennington, director of education for Darlington Borough Council, said: "We are pleased that the Key Stage Two results have improved.

"There is still some way to go before the action plan is fully implemented, but clearly this work is a priority."