Improvement in English is needed in order for Helston Community College to regain its “outstanding” rating with Ofsted.

This was the message from inspectors when they carried out a spot check on the school, giving just half a day’s notice.

As a result, the school has dropped from “outstanding” to “good,” but is already on track to build its way back up.

Headteacher Dr Pat McGovern said: “We were already aware of the issue with English and resolving it. Inspectors were more than happy over our turning a corner and the children are now making really good progress.”

Inspectors said currently the teaching in the English department did “not yet provide sufficient challenge,” particularly for middle ability boys, while the literacy and numeracy needs of the students were “not given enough attention in all subjects.”

The college was still working on ways to ensure students got a better |understanding of life in contemporary British society, they added.

Dr McGovern said the school was actually delighted with the result, as inspectors were judging under new guidelines and taking into account results of year 11 pupils who had already left.

“Very few schools in the county are holding on to outstanding,” he added. “Good across the board, with an |outstanding in one category, is the equivalent of the old outstanding.”

Achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, and leadership and |management were all rated good, with behaviour and safety of pupils as |outstanding.

“They were so impressed with the youngsters in terms of their |aspiration and ambition,” added Dr McGovern.

Dr McGovern was described as “ambitious for all the students in school and for their futures,” working |“tirelessly” with the governors to broaden students’ vision of what they could achieve. But he said: “I can’t speak highly enough of our staff and governors, who really did step up to the mark and represented the college really well.”