STAFF and students at Wadham School are celebrating after government inspectors classed the school as ‘good’.

The Crewkerne school fell into special measures nine years ago, but head teacher David Derbyshire said there has been a “sustained improvement”

to get the school to where it is today.

In November 2012, it was ranked as requiring improvement but in its most recent OFSTED report, lead inspector Paul Sadler said senior leaders’ and governors’ action had improved students’ achievements and the quality of teaching ‘a great deal’.

Summarising the school, which has 662 pupils with a further 86 in the sixth form, he found the following: n Students make good progress, especially in English.

  • Students make increasingly good progress in other subjects including science, history, geography and physical education.
  • Teaching is good, with some being outstanding.
  • Teachers routinely plan work that enables all students to make good progress.
  • Marking and feedback are particular strengths that help students to improve their work.
  • Students are keen to learn and they behave well.
  • School leaders and governors have a perceptive insight into the school’s strengths and weaknesses and have tackled the latter effectively.
  • Teachers’ performance is managed well and the quality of subject leadership is steadily improving.
  • The sixth form is good. Students make better overall progress than is the case nationally.

Mr Derbyshire described the news as fantastic but stressed they will be striving to become even better.

He added: “Wadham has been recognised as providing a resoundingly good level of education, in all aspects. However parents can be assured that we will never rest on any laurels.

“Everyone at Wadham wants to push on to the next level until Ofsted judge us the outstanding school we know we can be and we won’t rest then either.

“I want to pay tribute to the amazing staff and students for this success.

“It is a privilege to work with them every day and as OFSTED said, we have created `an atmosphere in which good behaviour and achievement can flourish.”

Chair of the governors Stuart Shepherd said: “It has been a good long journey.

“This is a very good result and it all goes well for the future, the school is operating extremely well and all the students are very proud of being members of Wadham School.”