An ‘outstanding’ school has become the first in Waltham Forest to achieve an Excellence in Literacy Quality Mark.

Chingford Hall Primary Academy, in Burnside Avenue, Chingford, has been recognised by the International Literacy Centre. 

The mark was introduced by the Institute of Education earlier this year and acknowledges outstanding teaching in the field.

Deputy headteacher and literacy co-ordinator, Heather Smith, said: "It was a very rigorous self-evaluation of our literacy standards.

"An assessor spent the whole day at school looking at pupil's work, our literacy resources and conducting interviews with the senior leadership team."

The school was judged as outstanding by Ofsted in 2011. 

Executive headteacher Patricia Davies added: "Our outstanding school continues to provide an excellent education for all our children to achieve their full potential."