Helena Romanes School in Dunmow is celebrating receiving a 'good' rating in all areas following a recent Ofsted inspection.
The school has improved following its previous inspection in October 2019, when it was given a 'requires improvement' rating.
Inspectors praised the school as "highly ambitious to be the best it can be", and said that it had "high expectations of behaviour, and these are consistently enforced by staff".
Pupils were also praised for treating each other and staff with respect, while teachers "know the needs of their pupils well".
The report said: "Pupils benefit from a diverse range of visits and visitors and trips. These trips develop pupils' knowledge and interest in the wider world.
Inspectors found that in the primary phase "students make substantial progress in the early steps of learning of learning to read and in their understanding of numbers", while the Sixth Form was recognised as "friendly and supportive" and praised for offering a wide range of subjects.
Executive headteacher Catherine Davis said: "I am delighted with the final report.
"This outcome is incredibly important for the pupils, staff and parents of the school, as it recognises the significant improvement demonstrated by the school since the last Ofsted inspection in 2019.
"Since this date, the school has joined Saffron Academy Trust, opened its primary phase, expanded its Sixth Form and navigated through a global pandemic!
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank our students, staff, parents, carers, governors and Saffron Academy Trust for their tremendous support of the school.
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"I do not view this Ofsted grading as a final destination for the school. Instead, it is a marker on our improvement journey.
"We remain committed to our ambition to make Helena Romanes School a 'local school of exceptional quality'."
Caroline Derbyshire, CEO of Saffron Academy Trust, added: "The report demonstrates what we already knew: that the quality of education at the school has improved rapidly and substantially under the leadership of Catherine Davis and the growing 11-18 school is sure to become really exceptional because, with a brand new building on the horizon, the best is yet to come."
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