PUPILS at Highworth Warneford School are celebrating after Ofsted inspectors judged their behaviour as outstanding.

Inspectors, who visited the secondary school last month, gave the school an overall grade of good but gave the behaviour and safety of pupils top marks.

They also said teaching is good and some is outstanding, and that lessons are well planned and many include a rich variety of activities.

John Saunders, who has been headteacher since 1995, said: “We are delighted with the outcome.

“We were pleased that they judged the pupils in the school to be outstanding.

“The inspectors praised their behaviour, their attitude towards their work and the way they conduct themselves around the school.

“We work hard and this result is down to the staff, parents and the pupils themselves. It is a team effort.

“We have all got a shared ethos and shared goals.

“We feel pupils respond well and positively and Ofsted recognised that.”

The school was given a grade of outstanding five years ago but the Ofsted framework has changed since then.

“We were pleased to be judged as good this time,” said Mr Saunders.

“We need to keep up the good work.

“There are things we will carry on working on such as the quality of our teaching.

“The better the teaching, the better the learning.”

Inspectors observed 39 lessons, visited assemblies, tutor groups and other learning activities.

In the report, inspectors said: “Students make good and often good progress so that they achieve well in their GCSEs, and exceptionally well in English.

“Disabled students and those with special educational needs make equally good progress as others.

“Students are proud of their school.

“They show respect to one another and to adults.

“Students feel safe and their behaviour is outstanding both in lessons and around the school.

“School leaders have been successful in raising achievement and improving the quality of teaching.

“They have taken strong action to improve standards.

“Governors are effective and show a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development.

“Students’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is good so that the students are well prepared to be considerate citizens.”

Inspectors said the school is not outstanding because students do not make equally rapid progress, achievement in some subjects is not as strong as in others, there is not enough outstanding teaching and written advice from some teachers is not as good as it could be.