A PRIMARY school, which was subject to financial probe, is providing a good education for its pupils, Ofsted has found.

The Olive Tree was marked as good in all areas by the education watchdog, which found that pupils thrive and rise to the high expectations of teachers. Inspectors described the school as "friendly and welcoming" and one that children love going to.

The Daubhill-based school was served with a financial notice last year after an investigation by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. It found that the chairman stayed at the Intercontinental Chicago at a cost of £900 to the school. The money has been "recouped in full" by the school following the investigation.

Ofsted reported: "Trustees had fallen short of the expected standards of financial oversight that is required of them. They are taking appropriate actions to resolve the issues."

However, inspectors, noted the reporting of the financial notice, along with changes in school, had led to "some disquiet within the parental body" and said that the school needed to improve communication with parents "to allay their fears and dispel the misconception some hold about the school".

But the issues have not impacted on children's education, with Ofsted finding that the education provision has improved with children performing well in the 3Rs ­— and leadership and management of the school was graded good. Pupils were said to benefit from a "well designed and ambitious curriculum".

Inspectors reported: "Pupils thrive. They develop their knowledge and skills across many subjects. They make good use of technology to extend their earning beyond the classroom."

Headteacher Haroon Asghar said: "We believe the excellent inspection report is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the school’s leadership team, staff, pupils and supportive parents to whom we express our thanks for their ongoing commitment and dedication to delivering the best outcomes for our pupils. In terms of the areas of improvement identified within the report, the school already has a clear plan of action.

He added: "The Olive Tree remains a popular and successful school which is over-subscribed, with a waiting list. We have built an excellent culture of learning through our forward-thinking use of technology ­— the ongoing success of which enables our children to continue their learning seamlessly beyond the classroom, even through a global pandemic."