A Carlisle school is celebrating after making significant improvements to achieve its first ‘good’ Ofsted rating in more than a decade.

Government inspectors gave Petteril Bank School in Harraby the improved rating following a two-day visit to the school in July.

Two years ago the overall effectiveness “required improvement”.

It is thought the school’s latest inspection – which received the second-highest Ofsted rating – could be the first time inspectors have judged standards so highly.

Headteacher Jose Hodgkins was “thrilled” with the report.

She said it was not just a big deal for the school but for the Harraby community too.

“We are so, so proud. It really is huge for us.

“You can see by the numbers improving over time that it is becoming a really successful school,” she added.

Mrs Hodgkins continued: “We’ve worked really, really hard to ensure that our school got this rating.

“It’s been a hard journey and I would like to thank all the staff and governors and everybody who has supported the school in achieving that.

“We’ve got such a good staff who are so committed to our children.

“They’re our everything and I think one of the best things that came out of the report is that it says we are a family unit.

“That really sums up our school.”

The school was rated “good” in four out of five key areas – effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare; and early years provision.

Mrs Hodgkins – who this year also took over as associate headteacher of St Cuthbert’s Catholic Community School while plans to merge its leadership with St Margaret Mary’s in Upperby were being developed – said it had taken a long time to get there.

During the transition the school has looked at the curriculum and focused on work around the core subjects of maths and literacy.

Mrs Hodgkins explained that they wanted to ensure pupils got a “rich and varied” curriculum – through science and themed weeks – while ensuring they developed the core skills through it.

Parents were also engaged through “stay and play” sessions.

Meanwhile pupils are part of schemes such as U Can Shine, Rotakids and the Railway Club Community Gardens to help them develop life skills and educational skills.

Mrs Hodgkins said a lot of emphasis was also put on continuing professional development to develop the staff team.

She said: “We were very galvanised at the last inspection because we didn’t feel that it reflected where we were as a school.

“We took on board the points and we ensured that our development plan was very focused while ensuring that the key needs of our children were fully met.”

Key findings of the report included how school leaders are determined to ensure pupils’ progress is strong and that the quality of teaching has “substantially” improved.

It said pupils’ behaviour in lessons is good and shows positive attitudes to learning, while the majority of parents are positive about the education their children receive.

To continue to make steps to improve – particularly on the outcome for pupils, which was the only key area deemed by inspectors to “require improvement” – the school has employed a specialist teacher for literacy.

Mrs Hodgkins said: “I’ve got a very focused team within the school who want the best for our children and I think that really sums us up. We do that through working together. Our slogan is: ‘Together we can achieve’.”

Petteril Bank School, which sits on the same site as Petteril Bank community centre, has 156 pupils – twice as many as there were when Mrs Hodgkins took over as head eight years ago.

It saw a major extension, including two new classrooms, open in 2013.