THE quality of teaching and leadership at Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio has been praised by Ofsted inspectors.

The Police Street school, which has 99 students on its roll, was graded as ‘good’ following a visit from the education watchdog last month.

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The school educates students between the ages of 14 and 19.

The achievement of the pupils, the sixth form provision and behaviour and safety were also praised in the report.

In a report published this week lead inspector Shirley Gornall said: “Senior leaders, staff, governors and the sponsor share vision, passion, determination and the skills to make a difference to youngsters’ lives.

“Good leadership is securing rapid improvement.

“Students feel safe and secure. They behave well and take pride in their work.

“Students make good progress in response to good teaching that engages their interest and stimulates their thinking.

“Their achievement in the studio’s specialist subjects is strong.

“Students who have previously been at risk of exclusion or have had a disrupted education are effectively supported; consequently, their attendance has improved and they show good engagement in their work.

“The curriculum is well-planned to meet students’ needs. Students enjoy wide-ranging experiences, including through their work placements; these prepare them well for meaningful future employment.

“The studio promotes tolerance, resilience and respect, and equips students well to be responsible young citizens.

“Pastoral care is excellent. The studio works tenaciously with students and their families to remove barriers to learning and build their self-esteem.

“The sixth form is good. It gives students the skills and self-belief to progress into higher education or training.

Principal Ruth Bradbury said: “It’s difficult to gain a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted under the more rigorous framework now used.

“The outcome is testament to the dedication and skill of staff as well as the academic ability and excellent behaviour of our students.

“It is also proof that the unique nature of the studio school curriculum which allows our students to study the subjects that they love and therefore excel in, is the way forward for many young people.”

Mrs Gornall added the school was not yet ‘outstanding’ because of issues including attendance and use of English.

She said: “Attendance, although improving, is significantly lower than for secondary schools.

“Teachers do not consistently encourage students to use standard English or to extend their range of vocabulary.”