NINE in 10 schools in Oxfordshire were rated good or outstanding at their last inspection, according to new figures.

The latest Ofsted data shows that 39 state schools in the area were graded outstanding, and 226 good as of December 31 – 90 per cent of the 296 which had received an inspection by this point.

This was up from 89 per cent in December 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.

READ MORE: Sign up to our health newsletter, out every Thursday morning

And it means the area's rate is above that across England, of 87 per cent.

Inspectors judge schools on categories including the quality of teaching, personal development and welfare, the effectiveness of the leadership and pupils' achievements.

Schools requiring improvement will be inspected again within 30 months, while those deemed good or outstanding will usually be reviewed again once every four years.

Of the 265 schools in Oxfordshire rated good or higher, seven were nurseries, 213 were primary schools, and 31 secondary schools.

There were also 13 special schools and one school offering alternative provision graded good or outstanding.

The proportion of schools rated good or outstanding nationally is the highest since comparable records began in 2010, but varied significantly between local authorities.

However, the figures show that just 2,400 schools in England were inspected between 2019-20 and 2021-22 as a result of the pandemic – fewer than would be rated in a typical school year.

The Association of School and College Leaders said this was a temporary issue, but warned that the real problem is the inspection system itself.

Read more from this author

This story was written by Anna Colivicchi, she joined the team this year and covers health stories for the Oxfordshire papers. 

Get in touch with her by emailing: Anna.colivicchi@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @AnnaColivicchi