SOHAM Village College is a good school with some outstanding features, according to Government inspectors. But it is prevented from being an outstanding school because the quality of its work is too variable, they decided. The team from OfSTED found good

SOHAM Village College is a good school with some outstanding features, according to Government inspectors.

But it is prevented from being an outstanding school because the quality of its work is too variable, they decided.

The team from OfSTED found good teaching, behaviour and leadership and management.

They discovered, however, that the school's leaders have aspirations for it to become an outstanding school, and it is prevented from being so by some aspects of its work.

The inspectors' report said: "In teaching, for example, the marking of students' work and the setting of challenging homework are too variable. This is the result of insufficiently effective monitoring of those with responsibility to ensure good practice.

"While most students do well and make good progress, a few fall behind and underachieve. There is not a sufficiently good means of preventing this. Students are often not aware of the levels or grades they should be able to achieve and are not clear enough about how well they are doing."

But the inspectors found that very good relationships among students and adults underpin good learning.

"Students with learning difficulties are encouraged to shine and make outstanding progress as a result. There is an atmosphere of mutual concern and respect," said the inspectors' report.

"The new principal has provided a clear vision for the future development of the school. Her evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses is accurate. With the support of senior colleagues, she is bringing about good improvement."

Principal Dr Carin Taylor said: "It is particularly pleasing to note that several areas of our work were judged as outstanding and, equally, to find that we are already addressing aspects which OfSTED identified, with us, as capable of improvement.

"Staff and students work hard, in partnership with parents and governors, to achieve high quality learning.

"Such a good report is well- deserved.