STAFF and pupils at Exmouth Community College are celebrating after receiving outstanding feedback by Ofsted inspectors who have conducted a full education report into the school s performance. Inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education, who

STAFF and pupils at Exmouth Community College are celebrating after receiving 'outstanding' feedback by Ofsted inspectors who have conducted a full education report into the school's performance.

Inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education, who produce reports meant to improve standards of achievement and quality of education, visited the college earlier this month.

Their findings, published last Friday, November 20, found the overall effectiveness of the school and its capacity for sustained improvement to be of a 'good' standard and highlighted seven 'outstanding' features.

Principal, Tony Alexander, said: "We are all extremely pleased with the result. There were some lovely conclusions drawn from the report. It underlines the continuing progress with the school at every level."

Mr Alexander said the college had been making continued progress for a number of years.

"In 2002 when I joined the college, we were judged to have been 'causing concern' and six months later, in January 2003, they said we were a 'rapidly improving school.'

"Then, in 2006, Ofsted said we were a 'good' school with an 'outstanding curriculum.'

The latest report means Exmouth Community College is conditionally exempt from being inspected again until around 2014.

Ofsted, as part of the inspection, invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils to complete a questionnaire about their views of the college.

The inspection team received 551 completed questionnaires. Ninety four per cent of those questioned said their child enjoyed school.

And ninety six per cent said the college kept their children safe and they were happy with their child's experience at the college.

In the main findings of Ofsted's inspection judgements, it praised the school for the proportion of pupils who gained five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and maths.

It stated the number had risen 'steadily over recent years to be higher than the national average.'

The judgement added: 'Under the dynamic, purposeful and effective direction of the principal and the senior leadership team, this wide-ability school provides a good education for all of its many pupils.'

Additional remarks included: 'Most striking is the strong sense of community within the school and the pride taken by pupils and by staff in its variety of activity and achievement.

'Pupils are courteous, well motivated and generally confident. A shining strand through the school is its mathematics and computing specialism.'