A city secondary school has now been rated good by Ofsted inspectors after previously being told it required improvement.

Attendance has "significantly increased" and measures have been put in place to improve students' behaviour at St Peter's Academy in Fenton.

Following its 2022 inspection, the school was deemed to require improvement by Ofsted inspectors. Two monitoring visits have taken place since, in December 2023 and December 2024, and the latest school inspection, which took place last month, has seen the academy's rating rise to good.

The inspection report, published this month, said: "The school's high expectations for achievement are reflected in the ambitious curriculum that meets the pupils' aspirations (and) pupils have positive attitudes in lessons.

"Pupils understand the importance of their education and work in calm and orderly lessons; this allows them to learn without distractions.

"Most pupils meet the school's high behaviour expectations. However, for those pupils that fail to meet these expectations, the school provides individualised support to address these behaviours.

"The school has set out clear expectations regarding behaviour. For those pupils who fail to meet these expectations, sanctions are used so pupils reflect upon their behaviour.

"The number of suspensions is reducing. Leaders have introduced measures to support specific groups of pupils to improve their behaviour.

"The school has an in-depth understanding of the barriers that affect pupils attending regularly (and) it has put in place several initiatives to address these barriers. This has resulted in a significant increase in attendance to school."

Inspectors advised that the school should ensure that there was "ongoing support and review for pupils who find it hardest to meet the school's high expectations for their behaviour such that the number of suspensions falls".

The report said "A minority of pupils find it hard to meet the school's revised high expectations for their behaviour – this means that they are more likely to be suspended from school.

"In some lessons, checks on what pupils know and understand are not used effectively to spot and address misconceptions; when this happens, pupils develop gaps in their knowledge and do not secure new ideas as quickly as they could.

"The school should ensure that staff have the expertise to act upon guidance and support to adapt their teaching and enable pupils to achieve well."

The school's personal development curriculum was highlighted however, and teachers were praised for their strong subject knowledge and choosing teaching strategies that engage pupils. The report said: "Reading is a bedrock of the school.

"Staff quickly identify pupils who cannot read at an age-appropriate level. These pupils benefit from a range of individualised interventions which help them to catch up.

"Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified. Staff know pupils with SEND well, and adapt teaching strategies appropriately to ensure that their needs are met.

"Historical outcomes in public examinations, including in 2024, are low compared to national averages. However, improvements to the curriculum and how it is delivered mean that current pupils are achieving much more positively."