A primary school hit with the lowest possible Ofsted rating has been transformed since it was taken over by a new head teacher and trust, says the watchdog's latest report.

Pilgrims' Way in Canterbury has received glowing praise after its most recent inspection found significant improvements had been made since the last visit in 2017, when the school was graded 'inadequate'.

The damning report from five years ago said the school had been plunged into crisis following an “unprecedented” influx of children from a deprived London borough.

It meant teachers faced “considerable turbulence” following the intake of pupils from families relocated to the former Howe Barracks site by Redbridge council.

Since then the school, which has 299 pupils aged between three and 11, has been taken over by the Veritas Multi-Academy Trust, having previously been part of the Village Academy Trust.

Lead inspector Margaret Coussins said since joining the school, leaders - including new head teacher Anne-Marie Middleton - have "taken rapid and effective action" to address the "significant weaknesses of the previous school".

It went on to add: "Leaders have an unwavering and determined vision and commitment to provide a curriculum that includes and enables all pupils to achieve and succeed.

"The school’s ‘irresistible’ curriculum is ambitious.

"Staff are quick to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

"Pupils with SEND are well supported so that they can learn the same curriculum as their peers, experience success and achieve their best.

"Many pupils who join the school in all year groups are beginning to learn to speak English as an additional language.

"Leaders focus intently on developing all pupils' communication and speech and language skills. Staff develop and enrich pupils’ vocabulary right from the beginning."

While the report praised the school's efforts, one area of improvement was highlighted, with inspectors writing: "The key knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember is not as well defined in some subjects as it is in others.

"Teachers are not always completely clear about the explicit knowledge pupils need to learn to meet challenging end points.

"Leaders need to refine the curriculum to make more explicit the key knowledge that they would like pupils to know and remember."

The trust's chief executive Kerry Jordan–Daus says staff and pupils are delighted with the report.

"This is testimony to the commitment the Veritas Multi Academy Trust has to making learning irresistible for all," she added.

"Pilgrims’ Way is a school where children love to be, and love to learn.”

The previous issues stemmed from the school taking on extra pupils who moved from Redbridge when the London borough outbid Canterbury City Council to snap up the former Army homes.

About 250 families were relocated, and concerns were raised at the time about how local services would cope.

Inspectors did not blame the former head teacher Alice Witty, as they noted she worked “tirelessly” but her efforts were “being thwarted by circumstances beyond her control”.

A follow up inspection was scheduled for 2020 but was cancelled because of the pandemic.

The school has now been rated 'good' overall, with a grading of 'outstanding' for its early years provision.