IMPROVEMENTS made at Clevedon School have seen its Ofsted rating soar from satisfactory to outstanding in just two years.

Following an inspection in October, the Valley Road school has been described as an outstanding school which provides opportunities for students to thrive and develop highly effective skills and aptitudes.

The rating has been welcomed by staff and teachers who have worked hard to turn the school around after an inspection report in 2004 described it as having serious weaknesses.

Headteacher John Wells said: “When I arrived at Clevedon School in 2004, Ofsted had just rated the school as having ‘serious weaknesses’ and placed it in the lowest Ofsted category.

“Since that time every aspect of the school has been redeveloped or completely replaced.

“Every year the school has seen rising standards in terms of examination performance and general school ethos.

“The school now regularly hosts other school visits to provide guidance and information for their staff.”

The latest inspectors’ report said there were excellent relationships between staff and students and also noted students were confident and appreciated the help and advice they receive.

It said the quality of students’ learning is good and often outstanding and the sixth form was also praised. The report also praised the house system used at Clevedon School, which extends the students’ learning experiences.

Mr Wells added: “We have put many changes in place since 2009 and have been transparent with every student and every member of staff about our expectations for them.”

Chairman of governors Geoff Blakeman said: “We certainly have a strong group of people working toward a common purpose here and a strong collaboration with the wider community - it is good to see this recognised publically in this report.”