South Craven School has scored top marks with a team of official inspectors.

Following a two-day visit, the Ofsted inspectors rated the school as “outstanding”, the highest of four grades used to assess schools’ performances.

South Craven achieved the rating in all of the key areas, including achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management.

Responding to the report, South Craven headteacher Dr Andrew Cummings offered his congratulations to pupils, parents, staff and governors.

He said: “The Ofsted team met with students from all year groups, and one of the highlights for me was hearing the inspectors report back on how positive the students are about their school.

“Staff have found the experience of waiting for the inspection very stressful and the two days were intense. The judgements represent the culmination of five years’ hard work. It is a real privilege to lead such an amazing team.”

In their written report, the inspectors said they were impressed by the academic progress made by pupils and the emphasis on engineering and technology.

They said: “The school’s exceptionally well-informed headteacher and senior team lead by example and their vision for how the school is to move forward is shared by all staff.

“Governors support the school very well, yet hold leaders to account with rigour. South Craven is a ‘thinking’ school, in which there is no complacency and in which performance is always under review. It is an inclusive school in which the academic and personal welfare of each individual student comes first.

“In the vast majority of lessons, students are fully engaged in their learning, have the utmost confidence in their teachers and are never afraid to ask for help when they are unsure.”

Chairman of governors at South Craven, Iain Harris, said: “Having served on the governing body for 19 years, including 17 years as chair, I’m delighted to have been involved in the building of such a fine school.

“As governors it gives us great confidence that our school has received this outstanding judgement.”