A WORCESTER school has been ranked as outstanding for its achievement in science.

Inspectors said Nunnery Wood High School’s effectiveness in science was outstanding and its pupils were well above the national average for exam results – and had been for a number of years.

The report by Ofsted, part of a subject survey, also said progress made by pupils was outstanding, as were their skills of scientific enquiry.

Pupils were said to be keen to answer questions, showed confidence in tackling the work and their behaviour was also outstanding. The report said the quality of teaching in science was good and teachers were energetic and enthusiastic and had very good subject knowledge.

Most lessons were good and in the best ones, tasks actively involved pupils in learning.

However, in a small minority of lessons, teachers talked too long and sometimes work was not carefully matched to the learning needs of different pupils. Inspectors also said the quality of the curriculum in science was outstanding.

The Spetchley Road school – which became a specialist science college in 2004 – offered opportunities for pupils to develop their skills of scientific enquiry.

Academic and vocational exam courses were available and some pupils could follow an accelerated route starting GCSE courses in Year 9.

The school also has a broad range of science-related clubs and activities.

Leadership and management in science was said to be good with teaching quality regularly monitored and an excellent system in place to monitor the progress made by pupils.

The school was advised to increase the percentage of outstanding lessons by pitching them at the right level for individual pupils.

Headteacher Alun Williams said: “We are very pleased. Science is one of a number of very strong departments in school.

“It’s about hard work, teamwork, organisation and good teaching.

“Now we want more outstanding lessons.”