EDUCATION Secretary Justine Greening lavished praise on a Tynedale school which has transformed its fortunes and just moved into multi-million pound premises.

Prudhoe Community High School earned a 'good' rating from Ofsted just five days after moving into a brand new building.

And paying a visit to the new building today, Ms Greening praised the hard work of school staff and headteacher Deborah Reeman.

She said: "The work that's been done here, from the head and all of her staff, to raise standards and attainment, is a real testament to them.

"The building is brilliant and is almost certainly part of how the school will continue to get better in the future."

She met students and observed biology, geography and PE lessons during her visit.

The facility replaces Prudhoe's crumbling old building, which dated back to the 1950s.

The school was rebuilt through the Government's Priority School Building Programme.

Hexham's MP Guy Opperman, who lobbied for investment in the school, said yesterday: "This is the first new school built in Tynedale in decades.

"This is a massive turnaround by all of the teachers, pupils and in particular the head, who has been able to oversee this change, both in academic performance and the move from school to school."

A scathing Ofsted report placed the school in special measures in 2013. But a further inspection, published this month, rated the school as 'good'.

Ms Greening met with local councillors, members of the governing body, and the student council.

She said: "This school is massively impressive. Just from meeting some of the students here you can see what a difference it is making to all of your lives today, but more importantly, your futures."