A SCHOOL hit by racial disturbances nearly two years ago has been told it has a long way to go before it solves its problems.

Education inspectors from Ofsted saw no evidence of bullying or racial tension during their inspection of Moorhead High School, Accrington.

But they admitted a "substantial number" of Moorhead's pupils said they still existed.

Six pupils pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour after trouble broke out between white and Asian youths at the Queen's Road West school in January last year.

In a new Ofsted report, conducted after an inspection at the end of September and beginning of October, inspectors said some progress had been made but improvements since their last inspection were "barely satisfactory".

Today Coun Jean Battle, a governor at the school, admitted: "It is not a good report. I know we were disappointed when we got the findings back from Ofsted, but we are improving. We have had a lot to contend with such as problems of racism, but as a governor I have not heard of any problems arising in the school.

"There are race tensions in all schools and as far as I am aware it is all quiet when compared to the past."

Headteacher Andrew Bateman, who joined the school a year before the violence broke out, today said Moorhead had improved and claimed bullying and racism existed in every school.

And he pointed out how the school and education authorities have implemented measures to tackle the racial tensions such as a county council anti-racism and mentoring scheme launched in September.

Mr Bateman said: "The report has confirmed many of our own opinions about how far we have come and how far we still have to go.

"The questions they asked the pupils were 'was there any bullying or racial tension in the school', but there is a level of these things in every school. And we have done a lot of work in curricular and extra-curricular activities and it has paid massive dividends in the school."

He added: "The Ofsted criteria has changed and there has been a 30 per cent increase of schools being unsatisfactory in certain areas because of the new report."

He also said that although the school was unsatisfactory in certain areas, this was compared to the national average and that the report also said good progress was made by pupils.

He also said the school had made improvements in maths, languages and Key Stage Three exams.

In the report the school was praised for its new and refurbished buildings on one site, a much strengthened leadership team, a more settled staff and much more involved governing body.

However it was also criticised for serious weaknesses including poor attendance, some unsatisfactory behaviour and the underachievement of pupils, particularly white boys, in the run-up to GCSE exams.

But Hyndburn Council leader Coun Peter Britcliffe praised the school. He said: "The Ofsted criteria has changed and one does wonder if too much credence is placed on results instead of recognising the good socialising process which goes on in all the schools in Hyndburn.

"And as most children in Moorhead come from wards where social deprivation is in the worst 10 per cent in the country one admires the staff for the work they are doing."