A primary school that was forced to become an academy in 2012 was rated “good” by inspectors in its first full inspection.

Harris Primary Academy Philip Lane, formerly Downhills Primary, won praise from Ofsted earlier this month.

The school became the focus of a national debate over the Government’s education policy after it was converted to academy status in 2012 despite resistance from its governors, who were all sacked and replaced.

Inspectors said that since then the pupils’ progress has “improved rapidly” and that most teaching was good.

Leadership, management and governance came in for particular praise, with “very high expectations” resulting in rising standards and a “supportive” parent body.

However, Julie Davies, secretary of Haringey NUT teachers’ union, said that the recent report was a tribute to the school’s past teachers and governors, as well as its current ones.

Ms Davies, a vocal critic of the education secretary Michael Gove’s academy policy, added: “Downhills was already on a trajectory of improvement when it became a political football.”