Ryedale School is celebrating after being graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted inspectors.

The team gave the school top marks for the achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, behaviour and safety of students and the leadership and management.

The Ofsted report, produced following the inspection in March, said everyone in the school was committed to the pursuit of academic excellence and the well-being of each student.

“Ryedale is an outstanding school,” the report adds.

“Very effective leadership including skilled management of teaching, highly accurate self-evaluation and a forensic analysis of the achievement and well-being of every student ensures that attainment across the school is high.”

The report said GCSE results had been consistently above the national average for the past three years.

“The skills which students acquire equip them exceptionally well in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare them well for the next stage in their education.

“Attendance is high and students thoroughly enjoy being at school, feel safe and, as one student said, ‘we all look about for each other, it’s like being a big family.”

The quality of teaching was said to be never less than good and frequently outstanding.

“This is because there is a culture among the teaching staff of accepting guidance eagerly and emulating the very best practice already present in the school in order to benefit the students.”

Headteacher Richard Crane said a new, more rigorous framework for the inspection of schools had been introduced in January and the proportion of those achieving ‘outstanding’ has dropped.

“It is clear that the bar has been raised and the judgement from the inspection team reflects what a special place Ryedale School is and that it is going from strength to strength,” he added.

“To achieve an outstanding judgement in all areas of the inspection is testament to the talents of our hardworking staff and students and the continued support form the community.

“I would like to offer congratulations and thank everyone involved with our school for their unstinting support.”