"The community now has the school it deserves."

That's the message from a Basingstoke secondary school after it received a positive Ofsted rating.

Cranbourne School, on Wessex Close, received a 'Good' rating, whilst its leadership was rated as 'Outstanding'.

The school has undergone dramatic transformation in recent years under the leadership of headteacher Jane Aplin since being rated 'Requires Improvement' in their most recent formal inspection. Recently, ambitious new plans for a community swimming pool were approved, and a new dyslexia unit has been opened.

Reacting to the rating, Mrs Aplin said: "I am so proud of the whole school community.

"All of us, parents, staff, students and Board of Governors work so hard to keep the quality of education constantly at an excellent standard.

"Throughout Covid, our governors met the staff every week in school, [and] during lockdown helped children and families every day, for example through our food bank.

"Teaching staff provided an excellent standard of online education, day in, day out, right from the start.

"We are an amazing team and I feel that the community now has the school it deserves.”

Inspectors went to the school in June and July of this year, the first inspection since the Covid pandemic. They found that the quality of education, behaviours and attitudes and personal development were all 'Good', whilst the leadership was 'Outstanding'.

Inspectors said in their report: "Leadership across the school reflects the ambition for 'excellence in everything'.

"The school is deeply inclusive. Senior leaders are determined that every pupil and member of staff will succeed.

"Leaders have been very aware of the emotional and mental health challenge some pupils have experiences because of Covid-19."

It continued: "Pupils know that the adults in Cranbourne want the very best for them. Everyone recognises the expectations of what can be achieved are very high."

The report says that learning is "calm and purposeful", and that a "wide range of opportunities" is on offer.

Chair of the Governing Board, Melissa Paxton, who was also praised in the report, said: "I’d like to congratulate the staff and students on behalf of the whole Governing Board for the way we have created a learning community with very high standards, which also gives all students the wider support and opportunities to allow them to flourish.”