A PRIMARY school is slowly but surely pulling itself out of special measures.

Intack Primary School, Whitebirk Road, Blackburn, has improved in English, maths and science according to government inspectors who have made a third monitoring inspection after it was put into special measures in March last year.

Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) inspectors said the Whitebirk Road school has improved the way it monitors pupils' performance and has a clearer understanding of where improvement is needed.

Pupils are now making better progress than previously and the record of underachievement is dealt with more effectively, they found.

Inspectors deemed that the school's progress since the last monitoring inspection in March was "good", and progress since March 2006 was "satisfactory".

The quality of teaching and learning is continuing to improve, as well as understanding of pupils' progress Their report also said pupils' personal development is stronger, and most are now responding well to the school's efforts to motivate and engage them in their learning, they said.

Although overall standards at both Key Stage 1 and 2 remain well below national averages, the school's "legacy of underachievement is being tackled more effectively", and pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities receive more support in classrooms, the report said.

Headteacher Linda McLanachan said: "We are really pleased that Ofsted have acknowledged the hard work of staff and pupils, and noted that since the last monitoring visit we have made good progress.

"We hope to continue to build on this and I would like to thank parents, staff and pupils for their continued support and commitment to Intack."

Councillor Chris Thayne, Blackburn with Darwen Council's executive member for children's services, said: "I would like to congratulate staff and pupils for their determination to make progress.

"I am sure this will continue to be a feature of the coming new school year. Now they can enjoy the summer break with a sense of achievement and satisfaction."

This is the second time Intack Primary has been put into special measures, after fighting back in 1998.