Staff at a school that went from ‘outstanding’ to ‘good’ in its latest Ofsted report say they are “delighted” to have been appointed as a national support school to help other institutions facing challenges.

Walthamstow School for Girls in Church Hill, Walthamstow is one of 65 schools in the UK whose staff have been selected to help recruit and train new entrants to the teaching profession.

Introduced in 2011, national support schools work with partner schools to raise standards and ensure the most talented school leaders are spotted and supported to become successful head teachers.

Meryl Davies is one of more than 75 head teachers to be appointed to the role of national leader of education and has been tasked with providing leadership skills tailored to the needs of struggling schools.

Ms Davies, head teacher of Walthamstow School for Girls, said: “I am delighted that the school has been recognised as one which can support others. 

“There is so much good practice at WSFG and across Waltham Forest in general which we are keen to share more widely. 

“It is an honour to be appointed a national leader of education and I look forward to supporting other professionals to develop further in their roles and achieve their goals.”

The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL), an agency of the Department for Education, is responsible for choosing schools and head teachers across the country to help others.

Chairman Roger Pope said: “I’d like to congratulate Walthamstow School for Girls and Meryl Davies on being appointed as a teaching school and a national leader of education.

“They should be very proud of this achievement.

“Teaching schools and national leaders of education are at the heart of school improvement.

“They’re supporting other schools, attracting and training the best new teachers and developing the next generation of leaders. At NCTL, we want to do all we can to support their work.”