Banbury School has received a much-improved report from Ofsted inspectors.

Artist David Odwar teaches Year 10 pupil Aaron Houghton in 2002

The report has been welcomed by the school, but principal Dr Fiona Hammans has warned that substantial investment in new buildings is still needed.

The report -- issued after 17 Ofsted inspectors spent a week at the school earlier this year -- was described as excellent by the chairman of governors, Jackie Minter.

The inspectors found a number of improvements in different areas since the last Ofsted report in 2001, but GCSE results were still below average, and the school's environment was also found to be poor.

The report said most buildings needed replacing, rationalisation of the site was overdue, and mud and dust presented a health hazard.

But the inspectors also said that the school had made good improvements in many of the areas listed as serious weaknesses in 2001, and had the capacity for further improvement.

The report said teachers who needed support received it, standards in English had improved, the quality of maths teaching had improved, pupils' language and number skills were better, and pupils' behaviour and attendance was much improved.

Inspectors said teaching was now good overall in the main school and very good in the sixth form.

On GCSE results, the report said results had declined between 1998 and 2001 against a national trend of improvement. The report said some pupils were disillusioned by the poor school environment, made worse by litter levels in communal areas.

The inspectors said teaching was good overall, but added that learning had been restricted by staffing problems and the difficult behaviour of some pupils.

The report said that there was excellent teaching and learning in art and design, English, geography, and drama, and very good teaching and learning in virtually every subject.

Provision for pupils with special needs was described by inspectors as very good and in some respects excellent.

There was also praise for the provision of education for pupils whose first language was not English.

The report concluded: "Banbury School is much improved in recent years. Teaching is now good overall in the main school and very good in the sixth form. The school is very well led in a way that enables staff to flourish and pull together in the same direction.

Pupils, including a good number who might otherwise not succeed, achieve well compared to their standards on entry to the school. Banbury School, therefore, provides good value for the money it receives."

Principal Dr Fiona Hammans said: "The very long list of strengths of the school includes areas which two years ago were judged to be weaknesses.

"This is due to a clear focus on priorities for improvement. Improved student results and overall school achievements show how important it is to have good teachers and high pupil attendance."

She said: "With 1,751 pupils, Banbury school is large by national standards, but the inspection team judged care for individual students, pastoral and academic, to be a significant strength. A wide curriculum was praised as was the extensive extra-curriculum which offers more than 60 activities every week."

Dr Hammans said students and staff worked hard in the adverse conditions caused by the poor state of the buildings and external environment.