EAST Surrey's only academy school has welcomed its first report by Ofsted as further proof of its upward progress.
Head teacher at The Beacon School, in Picquets Way, Banstead, Lisa Croke, said everyone was thrilled after Government inspectors ruled it "good" in all areas.
"The decision to become an academy was part of showing that the school is forward-thinking, that we seize opportunities and have the drive to be the best," she said.
"The school is directly funded by the Department for Education; it gives the school the freedom to buy in high-quality services that cater for the students' needs.
"It has enabled us to bid for capital funding to develop our school facilities; next on the list is a sports hall and dance studio."
She added: "We have a close working relationship with heads of four other local schools – Glyn, Rosebery, Blenheim and Epsom and Ewell High School [all in the borough of Epsom and Ewell], which are all academies. It is good to work with like-minded ambitious heads who want the best for their students.
"Being an academy also means we can deliver the iGCSE."
Five years ago the struggling school was placed in special measures. Its previous Ofsted inspection, in 2010, rated it as "satisfactory". It converted to an academy in December last year. This summer, 93 per cent of students got five GCSE A* to C passes, up by 29 per cent in two years.
In their judgment, inspectors noted the grade improvement had brought attainment up to an average standard.
The report also states: "Teaching is good overall, and in some lessons it is outstanding. In most lessons the teachers have high expectations and high levels of mutual respect have been established. This has resulted in a positive learning climate.
"The principal, senior team and governors are relentless in their pursuit of raising standards... evident in the students' faster progress and improving quality of teaching and behaviour."
The sixth form was also good and well-led, they said.
To improve further, the school needs to increase the proportion of "outstanding" teaching, share "best practice" among all staff, and ensure all teachers use systems for analysing pupils' progress, said Ofsted.
