"Respect is a two-way street" at one Bradford school, watchdogs said today.

The Ofsted inspection at Belle Vue Boys' School has given a glowing account of the its caring ethos.

The report quotes a pupil praising the atmosphere at the Heaton school, which predominantly caters for boys from the Pakistani Muslim community.

Nationally, there is concern that schools appear to be failing many black and Asian boys who leave with below-average qualifications.

Ofsted said Belle Vue Boys' School has "very good relationships between staff and pupils" leading to a "particularly strong and positive learning environment". Behaviour is good in class and around the school.

It goes on: "There is a very caring family ethos where pupils are valued as individuals." And it quotes a comment made by head boy Umar Hanif at a prize evening: "My time here has been like going down a two-way street - a street of respect."

Head teacher Bruce Berry, pictured with some of the students, is delighted with the report, which chronicles good progress since the last inspection in 1996, especially in the quality of teaching - now rated as "good" for all age groups. It concludes that Belle Vue is "an improving school with the capacity to improve further."

Although standards in national tests and GCSEs are low, this is related to many boys' low attainment on entry to the school, and standards are rising.

Teachers expect 17 per cent of the GCSE students to finish with at least five A-C grades this summer, but 25 per cent are predicted to do so in 2003.

The school only has 464 boys which means it is small for a secondary school. It has spare places and is therefore deemed to be poor value for money.

Mr Berry is baffled as to why the school does not receive more applications from parents, which he believes it is down to out-of-date perceptions that his pupils are badly behaved.

In fact, Ofsted found "clear expectations and procedures for promoting and monitoring good behaviour" and that pupils were clearly "enthusiastic and keen to learn and to succeed."

"The school doesn't tolerate any form of bad behaviour or bullying," Mr Berry said. "We just need our image to be built up."