STAFF and students at an Oswaldtwistle school have been praised after inspectors gave it the best possible mark.

Broadfield Specialist School, in Fielding Lane, was labelled ‘outstanding’ in all five areas of scrutiny by Ofsted – an improvement over its ‘good’ rating three years ago.

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The categories were leadership and management, behaviour and safety of pupils, quality of teaching, achievement of pupils, and sixth form provision.

Lead Inspector Jean Tarry said Head Teacher Angela Banner’s “sensitive yet steely determination”, alongside her staff’s “crystal clear overview of strengths and weaknesses” lead to students’ “rapid and sustained progress”.

Support given to students led to exceptional achievements in poetry, music, drama, singing, and arts, she said, while their behaviour and attitudes were deemed to be ‘exemplary’.

Following an inspection last month, she said: “As they travel through the school, students are consistently well-supported to achieve the very best that they can.

“Expectations of what students are capable of achieving are exceptionally high and, as a result, students reach their full potential.”

Head Teacher Anglea Banner said: “We are absolutely delighted Ofsted have verified that we are outstanding.

“This reflects the hard work and dedication of all the staff and reflects what our pupils have achieved.

“We are having a celebration day on February 12 where we will dress up and have party food to celebrate this achievement.”

Oswaldtwistle Councillor Peter Britcliffe said: “This is wonderful news and this is very well deserved.

“The school really gets involved in the community in Oswaldtwistle, and did a lot for the area council last year.

“I’m delighted for Angela Branning and her staff that their hard work is being recognised.”

The school caters for youngsters with learning difficulties ranging from moderate to profound.

Almost half of the school’s 130 pupils have autistic spectrum conditions.

To further improve, Jean said the school could work on its environment to meet increasing demands and needs of students, especially in the sixth form.