ALL Saints School has become the first mainstream secondary school in Weymouth to be rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.

The Church of England School, which has 927 pupils, has been branded ‘outstanding’ for its overall rating and in almost every category by the official schools inspector.

The inspection was carried out by five inspectors who visited 40 lessons and held meetings with governors, members of staff and students. They observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation, including the school development plan.

Ofsted also took into account the questionnaire responses of parents, students and staff.

The science and language- specialist school received the outstanding mark for its overall effectiveness, the school’s capacity for sustained improvement and the outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.

Headteacher Tim Balmforth said that since September, schools have been subject to a new inspection framework in which inspectors have recently ‘raised the bar’.

He added that this makes him feel even prouder that his school still managed to come out on top.

Mr Balmforth said: “The entire school community is delighted with the results and that includes the parents, staff, students and governors.

“I think I’m most proud of the way the children shone through with their excellent behaviour and the way they cared and looked out for each other.”

Westfield Special School is the only school catering for secondary pupils to have previously received an ‘outstanding’ report.