COMMONWEAL School received a good Ofsted report in 1999 and has followed that up with another positive result this year.

"The amount of good or better teaching has increased," says the report. "Leadership and management have improved and are satisfactory."

The school, which has 1,111 pupils, is applying for specialist status as a performing arts college and inspectors commended its achievement in the area.

At GCSE level, 60 per cent of pupils left with five or more exams at grades A to C in the past year. Other strengths highlighted were:

l Standards are above average across the years compared with similar schools and are rising, which was reflected in this year's GCSE results.

l Attendance is above average and pupils are well behaved.

l Pupils with physical impairment and specific learning difficulties achieve well.

Headteacher Keith Defter said: "The report confirms that a lot of hard work is starting to pay off. Commonweal can now move forward with even greater confidence. We are committed to making our best better and ensuring that we really do work for the 'good of all'."

However, the report also pointed to the limitations of the school buildings, which were highlighted as unsatisfactory at the last inspection.

Shortcomings in the curriculum had been improved in all areas apart from religious education and design and technology.

Here, pupils in year 7 to 9 are not receiving their full entitlement in design and technology.