A SECONDARY school has been ranked as requires improvement but inspectors have praised the progress which has been made since its previous inspection.

De La Salle Catholic High School in Eccleston is "moving forward in a unified way", Ofsted inspectors noted in a report following a visit on February 4 and 5.

However, the school's curriculum was cited as an area which needed to be strengthened further.

De La Salle was ranked as 'requires improvement' overall, the same grade the school received in its previous inspection in October 2017 when the school came out of special measures under head teacher Andrew Rannard.

This time the school was given requires improvement for the category of quality of education but was deemed good for behaviour, personal development and leadership and management.

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In their findings inspectors said pupils were "impressed by the positive differences their school leaders are making".

They noted "the head teacher has transformed how the school is led" and provides pupils, parents, carers and staff "with opportunities to say what is going well and what needs to improve".

It was acknowledged quality of education "has improved" and some subjects such as mathematics "are planned well".

However, other curriculums such as English and science "are not as well developed" but leaders in these subjects have "the know-how to bridge any gaps".

It was said the key stage three curriculum "leaves pupils short of important knowledge and cultural capital in some subjects" However, leaders have "well developed plans in place".

The key stage four curriculum was praised and pupils can match courses to "match their needs and interests".

Inspectors stated that poor attendance records for "disadvantaged pupils" had been tackled.

However it was found "in some subjects pupils with SEND (special educational needs and disability) are not provided with good enough support".

It was noted pupils' exam results are improving "but pupils do not perform as well as they should at the end of key stage four in several subjects".

They added that leaders "must implement a key stage three curriculum that has at least the breadth and ambition of the national curriculum".