ONE of the best things about Brooklands School, Skipton, is that the children enjoy being there, said inspectors in a recent Ofsted report.

Staff and pupils received a glowing progress report which also stated that the children's behaviour, attendance and attitude to their work was good which was helping them to develop academically.

Inspectors said the school for children with special educational needs was serving all of its 54 pupils well.

At all ages and in all subjects the students were said to be making good or satisfactory progress.

The inspectors said: "Children under five make very good progress in physical development, and good progress in personal and social development and in language and literacy.

"Pupils in the primary age range make better progress than secondary aged pupils because they have a broader range of learning experiences, and the accommodation is better suited to their needs."

One of the weaknesses that the school will have to overcome, however, is secondary pupils' progress in information technology, religious education and music.

The report stated the curriculum for these pupils needed to be broadened and the length of their school day was below recommendations.

One of the main reasons for this problem was that inspectors felt the accommodation for older pupils was unsatisfactory. "There are not enough artefacts for teaching religious education or age appropriate resources for music at key stage three," they said.

Headteacher Keith Shorrock said: "This report highlights many of our strengths and as a community we are proud of our achievements. I am particularly pleased that the good behaviour of the pupils and the high quality of teaching were recognised.

"The school has a dedicated and hardworking staff who recognise that to stay a good school means continuously working to improve our services to our pupils."

Since the last report, inspectors said that the standards of teaching had improved. "Teaching is satisfactory or better in 96 per cent of lessons. It is good or better in seven out of 10 lessons and very good in one out of five."

Inspectors were also impressed that facilities had been upgraded. The fencing had been improved around the site, congestion in the car park had been reduced and staff had ensured that pupils' dignity was preserved on school transport.

Internally the number of classroom assistants had been increased, teachers had broadened their expertise in teaching science and maths, and plans to develop pupils' cultural awareness had been implemented.

The report also highlighted the school's good relationship with the community including mainstream schools and with parents.

The inspectors supported the parents' positive views of the school - they generally liked the arrangements for homework and found the school staff approachable.

Inspectors pointed out that the school's aims emphasised high achievement and that the children were committed to their work.

The chairman of the governing body Linda Twiss said: "I am delighted that the extraordinary ethos of the school was highlighted along with the total care of all the staff to the pupils in their care.

"Brooklands School provides a safe, happy and positive environment which is reflected in the attitudes and behaviour of the pupils."

The few weaknesses emphasised by the report were outweighed by what the school did well.

Aside from the facility improvements needed for the secondary age students, the only other issues which needed to be looked at were the school's annual report to parents which did not contain all the necessary information, and teachers' records which were not considered to be detailed enough to plan the next steps in pupils' learning.

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