Aspatria's Beacon Hill School “requires improvement”, according to an Ofsted report published last week.

But staff and governors are delighted that they have recorded an improvement after being labelled inadequate last year.

Ofsted inspectors noted that standards were rising and increasing numbers of students were making progress expected nationally in English and mathematics. But inspectors said too few were exceeding national expectations.

Teaching, leadership and management, outcome for students and overall effectiveness require improvement.

Groups of students do not make equally good progress in their learning and boys and disadvantaged students achieve less well than other groups and gaps are not closing.

The quality of teaching is improving, but is not consistently strong enough to promote good progress in all subjects for all pupils, said the inspectors.

Leadership and management require improvement because they do not ensure that students make consistently good progress. 

However, the headteacher and deputy head are now linking the quality of teaching to its impact on students' progress. They are also “outward looking in their priority for improvement”.

The report rated the school good for behaviour and safety.

Headteacher David Millne said he was delighted that the inspection had taken the school out of "serious weaknesses" and stated that Beacon Hill had improved significantly since the last inspection.

“This report has come at the right time for the school and has confirmed that Beacon Hill is very much moving in the right direction," he added.

“The inspection team acknowledged the significant challenges and changes faced by the school this past year and recognised the leadership capacity within to move quickly to a good grading and beyond.

“We are particularly pleased that the inspector supported the senior team and staff wholeheartedly in the many developments and academic progress that have been achieved since the last inspection.”

Trevor Gear, chairman of the school's governors, said he believed the school was heading in the right direction.

“Our headteacher left in December. Deputy head Mr Millne took over and is now the permanent head. He and his deputy are bedding in with the full support of governors.

“I believe that by the next Ofsted our school will be good.”