A city secondary school has a "strong culture of care" and an effective "warm-strict culture in which pupils can flourish", Ofsted inspectors have said.

St Margaret Ward Catholic Academy in Tunstall was inspected in January and the report was published this month.

Under the new grading system, the academy, which is part of St Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, was found to have met the expected standards in all areas assessed, including achievement, curriculum and teaching, attendance and behaviour and post-16 provision.

The report said: "Behaviour and attendance continue to improve at the school; leaders embed an effective 'warm-strict' culture in which pupils can flourish.

Pupils benefit from a strong culture of care that is evident across the school – positive interactions between staff and pupils are a notable feature of the school.

"Expectations for behaviour and conduct are clear and understood by all. Pupils rise to these high standards and take responsibility for helping one another meet them.

"Pupils enjoy calm, orderly classrooms where learning is the focus and disruption is rare. Bullying is rare and dealt with swiftly and effectively when it does occur.

"Teachers know pupils well and act when pupils face barriers to learning or wellbeing. Support is timely and effective, ensuring that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can access the curriculum.

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"Most pupils achieve well in line with national averages, however some pupils and sixth-form students do not make as much progress as they should. Leaders have addressed this and pupils are benefiting from improved teaching and clearer guidance from staff."

Academy leaders were advised to ensure that teachers consistently identify and meet the precise needs of all pupils so that misconceptions are addressed swiftly, and ensure that assessment is used consistently and effectively across all subjects so that gaps in pupils knowledge are identified accurately.

They should also ensure that recent actions to strengthen achievement in the sixth form are fully embedded and lead to consistently positive results for all post-16 students, the report said.

But the curriculum was praised for being "broad and balanced" and reflecting high aspirations for pupils.

The report said: "Subject leaders identify the essential knowledge pupils need and map it logically across key stages so new learning builds securely on prior knowledge.

"Closing reading gaps is a whole-school priority – staff identify early readers quickly, provide targeted support and strengthen subject vocabulary. Leaders support pupils' literacy and numeracy well through a programme of school-wide interventions."