THE latest Ofsted inspection of Keighley's Holy Family Catholic School has concluded its overall effectiveness "requires improvement".

One of five key areas of the school's work assessed by Ofsted last month was rated as good, with four other categories judged as requiring improvement.

A school spokesman said: "Everyone at Holy Family is already working hard to ensure they deliver the improvements identified.

"The school had recognised that some teaching needed to improve, and already has action plans in place to achieve this.

"The significant rise in GCSE results from 40 per cent to 65 per cent in two years was commented on by the inspectors, as was the clear leadership of the head teacher.

"The reputation of the school as a caring and happy one was reinforced, as the visitors found ‘staff morale is high’ and that the governing body and senior leaders have ‘created a coherent and mutually respectful school."

Ofsted's inspectors rated Holy Family's Personal development, behaviour and welfare as good.

Effectiveness of leadership and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, pupil outcomes and 16 to 19 study programmes were all rated as needing improvement.

Ofsted's report said: "Senior leaders aren't checking that teaching is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning regularly or rigorously enough.

"There is too much variability in teaching quality because adults’ expectations of what all pupils should be able to do aren't consistently high enough.

"Teachers’ checking of the progress pupils are making is not consistent across the school. As a result, teaching is not sufficiently focused on what pupils need to do next to improve.

"Teachers’ questioning of pupils isn't consistently challenging enough. Opportunities to develop and deepen pupils’ thinking are lost.

"Outcomes for pupils are not yet strong enough, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.

"There is too much variation in the quality of teaching in the sixth form. As a result, students do not do as well as they should."

However, the inspectors also highlighted strengths, noting that Holy Family's leadership team is clear about what must be done to improve the school and is taking action to tackle variability in teaching quality.

The report adds: "Safeguarding systems are effective. Records are meticulous and training for staff is regularly updated. Pupils feel safe and are confident adults at the school care for them.

"Leaders and governors have worked effectively to create a coherent and mutually respectful school community. Pupils are happy and proud of their school and the way it supports them.

"Behaviour is good and those pupils who find the high expectations at the school challenging are effectively supported by committed and knowledgeable staff.

"Staff morale is high. Staff feel cared for and increasingly challenged and supported by senior leaders."

The Holy Family spokesman said: "The inspectors found some teaching needs to be better, particularly where Special Educational Needs and Disability and Disadvantaged students were involved.

"Questioning in the classroom, which is already being improved through teacher training, also needs to be slightly refined.

"Holy Family is addressing these points with robust action plans and increased monitoring of classroom practice."

Head teacher Martin Hings said: “We'd like to thank parents who completed the Ofsted questionnaire expressing their support and pride in the school. Our students were wonderful ambassadors and deserve the highest praise.”