A PHOENIX has risen from the ashes of a former school.

Ladybridge High School has been marked as good with outstanding features by school inspectors.

Ofsted found that GCSE results are above the national average — with an above average proportion achieving the higher A* and As in the important science subjects.

Ladybridge High School opened on the site of The Deane School, which shut in 2004.

The Deane School had earlier been put into special measures after it was consistently found by education watchdogs to be failing to provide an acceptable standard of education.

Now standards at Ladybridge School have soared year-on-year.

Its GCSE results rose by 11 per cent this year, with 60 per cent of children achieving five or more A* to Cs including English and maths, higher than the national average.

The pupils’ achievement is made even more remarkable, inspectors said, given that the attainment of most children when they enter school is well below the national average.

Teaching was described as good, with some of it outstanding, and the leadership and management of the school was rated as outstanding singled out for high praise.

Inspectors reported: “Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Relationships are very strong and students are anxious to please their teachers and strive to the best they can in lessons.

“Students enjoy school, they arrive to lessons on time and overall attendance exceeds the national average by some margin.”

Ladybridge offers all the subjects that allow it to offer the EBacc, the Government’s new flagship qualification.

Headteacher Hilary D’Arcy said: “We are especially delighted with the recognition that not only is Ladybridge a good school but a school with outstanding leadership and management at all levels and outstanding capacity for further improvement.”

Mrs D’Arcy was described as leading the school “outstandingly well”. Inspectors said: “She expects the very best from staff and students and has done much to improve the school during her tenure.”

Mrs D’Arcy said: “This is a very happy and safe family school. I am exceptionally proud of our students, our staff, our parents and our outstanding governing body.”