ELMS Bank High School has won a glowing recommendation from Government inspectors.

A team from Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, visited the school in April and were very impressed with what they found. Their report, published last week, begins: "Elms Bank High is a good school. The school is well led, effectively managed and has a very positive ethos for learning."

One of the major strengths identified during the week-long inspection was the quality of teaching. Inspectors found that in more than 94 per cent of lessons teaching was satisfactory or better, and said it was good or better in 60 per cent.

They also found examples of "very good" teaching, notably in maths, geography, languages and music, and were happy with the progress and levels of attainment achieved by the 119 pupils across all areas of the curriculum.

"Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning," said the report. "They behave well around school and in lessons.

"Relationships are very good and there are some fine examples of more able pupils helping and supporting those with greater difficulties.

Elms Bank, based at Ripon Avenue, Whitefield, takes pupils aged between eleven and 19 from across the borough, all with moderate to severe learning disabilities. The inspection team were impressed with the way the school tailored work to individual needs, in lessons and beyond.

"The school makes good provision for the moral development of pupils and very good provision for their social and cultural development," the report said.

However, inspectors found the provision for pupils' spiritual development was "unsatisfactory", and noted the school did not meet legal requirements for religious education at the post-16 level.

They praised the links the school had forged with the community, and also its good ties with the local media.

"Strong links with the local college and the business community result in opportunities for pupils to become active participants in the community," said the inspection team.

"The school is well led and managed by the head teacher, senior management and the governors," said the report. "The staff are well qualified and experienced in teaching pupils with special educational needs," the inspectors continued.

"The support staff are very effective in their work."

Inspectors said the school provided "good value for money" and praised the accommodation.

The Ofsted team made four recommendations, called key issues for action, to improve the school further.

They said individual education plans should contain more specific targets; annual reviews to parents should be improved; RE should be taught post-16 and the provision for spiritual development should be improved.

Head teacher Ms Lynn Lines said everyone at the school was "delighted" with the report.

"Everyone has worked hard to ensure pupils get the best education possible," she said.

"The Ofsted process puts staff and pupils under a lot of strain but the team were sensitive and friendly which helped tremendously."

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