An inner-city school once ranked the worst in Bradford has been labelled "outstanding" by inspectors.

Grange Technology College is only the second secondary in the district to achieve the accolade from Government body Ofsted.

Head teacher Paul Burluraux said the Haycliffe Lane school had hit the heights due to a "relentless focus on raising standards".

"This is fantastic news for the school - a reflection of a great deal of hard work by many people," he said. "We are so proud of our wonderful students and their families - Bradford should be proud of them too."

In her report, lead inspector Jan Bennett said teaching and learning at Grange were both also outstanding, with boys and girls achieving more than peers in similar schools.

She added Grange provided "students from a very disadvantaged area of the city with a safe, inclusive and vibrant learning environment."

More than 90 per cent of Grange students are from minority ethnic backgrounds, with just under 90 per cent speaking a first language other than English.

Inspectors were especially impressed by the progress made by pupils, considering their low achievement levels on entry.

Mrs Bennett added: "Students' attainment on entry to the school is very low, but they make significantly better progress than expected and standards are rising. There is a continuous drive for improvement and an outstanding capacity to improve further."

In 2007, the proportion of Grange pupils achieving five GCSE passes at grade A* to C, including maths and English, rose by six per cent to 34 per cent.

Teaching and learning was also marked outstanding, alongside leadership and management and the school's sixth form.

Mr Burlaraux said: "It is because we all work so well together with a relentless focus on raising standards that we have achieved this outstanding' report.

"We are building on the progress made by the school over a number of years which is based on the work done by a very large number of staff, parents and community members.

"For me, one of most heartening parts of the report was that we have outstanding potential' to carry on improving further. This is the challenge now facing the school.

"Bradford should be proud of its young people, the progress they make and also of many local schools who are successful in raising standards."

In 1992, Grange hit the headlines when it came bottom among Bradford schools in the first-ever league table of GCSE results. Then, only 5.1 per cent of pupils gained five or more grades at A to C - one of the lowest scores in the country at the time.

John Gaskin, managing director of Education Bradford, the private company which runs Bradford schools, said: "It is absolutely wonderful that the quality of Grange has been recognised publicly. This school is doing a great job for all its students."

In April this year, Carlton Bolling College in Undercliffe became the first secondary in Bradford to receive the outstanding accolade.

e-mail: dan.webber @bradford.newsquest.co.uk