'Rave review' from Ofsted inspectors

The word "outstanding" featured eight times and "excellent" five times in the report on St Augustine's RC High School, Billington.

Head Anthony McNamara said: "We are absolutely delighted with this report. If ever there was a 'rave review' for a school by an Ofsted team then this is it.

"The report uses superlatives such as outstanding and excellent to describe nearly every aspect of the life of our school.

"Even those few areas the report identifies as needing attention are described as relatively minor adjustments or fine-tuning of already very good practice.

"I want to congratulate all our pupils, staff, parents and governors for making Saint Augustine's such a wonderful community to be part of.

"This report is a great start for the New Year."

The 1,000-pupil school was visited by five inspectors at the end of October and early November.

They found it gave very good value for money, standards achieved by pupils were high and teaching was good.

The inspection team found students' attainment was well above average by the time they left school, the head and senior staff, supported by all other staff, provided outstanding direction for the school to improve and continue to raise standards, and pupils had an excellent attitude to work and all aspects of school life.

The provision for pupils with special educational needs was very good and excellent when it came to their moral and social development.

On the minus side the inspectors found information technology was not consistently used across the curriculum, opportunities for independent learning away from class were limited because the library was used as a classroom, and good practice in teaching was not consistently shared amongst staff.

Because St Augustine's is a Church school it also underwent a religious education inspection. It found it was "an excellent Catholic high school where spiritual and liturgical provision are major strengths."