School is a top ten hit with inspectors

Although its achievement rates in national exams are below the national average, Our Lady and St John Catholic Arts College, North Road, Blackburn, was told by Ofsted inspectors: "The progress that pupils make by the end of Year 11 places it in the top 10 per cent nationally.

"Most pupils make good progress by the time that they leave the school in comparison with their attainment on entry, and compared with similar schools."

Headteacher Colette Gillen said she was delighted and added: "The inspectors recognise that we are an effective school, with good teaching and learning, well behaved pupils and a rich and varied curriculum, with particularly good opportunities in the performing arts.

"It's a tribute to all the staff and pupils who work so hard and so well together to make this a successful school."

The school is the first borough high school to go through the new, tougher Ofsted inspection regime which requires schools to fill in lengthy self-assessment forms and visits are arranged within 48 hours' notice.

The school has 940 pupils, aged 11-16, and inspectors described it as a safe and happy school with "a strong Christian ethos where pupils show concern and respect for each other and are well behaved and polite."

The school's management was also singled out for praise following October's visit with the inspectors concluding the school was "effective and well led".

And inspectors found pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities were also making good progress thanks to "outstanding provision" for them. They also stressed they were "confident" there was little, if any, racism at the school, concluding "pupils from different ethnic backgrounds mix together very well both in and out of lessons."

Coun Dave Hollings, Blackburn with Darwen executive member for education, added: "Inspectors say that the school prepares its pupils well for later in life and there can't be much higher praise than that."