A BEFORE and after-school club in Pendle has made considerable improvements, according to an education watchdog.

Leaders of the Tower Club at Blacko Primary School have jumped from a ‘satisfactory’ grading in early 2012 to a ‘good’ ranking, just over 16 months later. Lead inspector Wendy Fitton said in a report: “Children feel safe and secure and enjoy their time in a friendly, stimulating environment.

“The educational programmes provide interesting and challenging experiences to promote children’s learning and development as they progress towards early learning goals.”

She praised the club’s partnership work with parents and how they took time to get to know each youngster who attended.

The inspector recommended steps the organisation could take to secure an ‘outstanding’ rating. They include improving standards of self-evaluation, setting more challenging targets for improvement, and bolstering professional development work.