Inspectors said Jean Carter had remedied the weaknesses that led to Enfield college in north London being judged inadequate at its previous inspection in 2004 by the Office for Standards in Education.

In the latest inspection, Enfield won a grade two (“good”) rating for leadership and management, and its capacity to improve was also rated good.

Its overall grade for effectiveness of provision was “satisfactory”. “I am the failed principal from last time but now I can feel proud of the staff and our achievements,” said Ms Carter, Enfield’s principal since 1996.

“Every single member of staff committed themselves to turning the previous judgement around and it is absolutely brilliant they have achieved that.

Significant and large areas of the college are now at grade two.”

She said the grade for English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) had improved from five (the lowest grade) at the last inspection to two. She said: “There are now no areas of the college judged unsatisfactory.”

Ofsted’s report said: “The outcome of the last inspection acted as a spur to vigorous action. The governors and managers acted swiftly to tackle the serious weaknesses in the curriculum.” It hailed “impressive progress” in ESOL, and gains in literacy, numeracy, sport, and leisure and tourism, In December, nearby Southgate college progressed from being poor two years ago to satisfactory.

* Kevin Finnigan has been appointed principal of Ealing, Hammersmith, and West London college, chosen ahead of four other principals and several deputy principals who applied.

He leaves his job as principal of Orpington college in Kent, with 6,000 students, to take over a college with 25,000 students on a budget of pound;42 million.

John Stone, the current principal of the west London college, has become the first chief executive of the newly formed Learning and Skills Network.

Inspectors rated leadership and management as “good” at the college - two years after it was rated “very weak”.