A HALESOWEN secondary school is celebrating keeping its 'Good' status from Ofsted.

Leasowes High welcomed the recent results of an inspection carried out at the Kent Road school, which is a member of Invictus Education Trust, in September.

Headteacher Matthew Mynott said he would like to build on improvements highlighted in the report with the aim of the school attaining an 'outstanding' status in the future.

The report praises the school as having enthusiastic staff who care about pupils and go the extra mile to support them and describes how some pupils who were having difficulties, had turned their fortunes around and talked to inspectors about their transformations.

It goes on: "Pupils told inspectors that they like coming to school.

"They feel that it is a safe place to be and that bullying is not tolerated.

"Younger pupils say that they already feel safe and confident in school and that older pupils go out of their way to be kind to them.

"They say that pupils in the school generally behave well."

It described how last year the school changed the way it decides what pupils learn and asked teachers responsible for subjects to decide.

The report notes: "As a result of these changes, pupils’ knowledge is growing over time. All pupils, including those with special educational needs (SEND) are making better progress than they have in the past."

Headteacher Matthew Mynott said: “The report recognises the continual hard work that the staff, pupils, parents and wider community provide to Leasowes.

"It gives strong messages about the school, including staff caring about its pupils and how they do.

"It also shares how staff will go the extra mile to support them.

"The pupils told the inspectors how they liked coming to school, that it is a safe place and that bullying is not tolerated.

"As headteacher I am proud of the report and believe that it provides a firm foundation for the school in its journey to become outstanding.

"As in any inspection, there are always areas that a school needs to improve and these will continue to be addressed to ensure the school progresses."

The report states that some GCSE courses stretch out over too long a time but that the school "intends to teach a three-year key stage 3 from September 2020 to improve this situation."

It also says a small group of staff feel that communication about a new behaviour system was not yet as clear as it should be.

The school has turned its fortunes around since being rated 'Requires Improvement' in October 2013. Its last full Ofsted inspection in 2015 rated it 'Good.'

The Invictus Education Trust features Leasowes, Ellowes Hall Sports College in Gornal, The Crestwood School in Kingswinford, Pedmore High School, Kinver High and Wombourne High.

Leasowes has around 900 pupils aged 11 to 16 - it can take up to 1,190.