An school has been praised for a steady improvement in GCSE results.

Walthamstow Academy in Billet Road has been rated as good by Ofsted inspectors following a visit on March 6 and 7.

Student achievement, behaviour, safety, teaching were highlighted as areas of good practice.

Last year 93 per cent of pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at grade C or above, compared to 83 per cent in 2011.

Principal Emma Skae said the school is confident of achieving an outstanding rating at the next inspection.

She said: “Walthamstow Academy has a culture of continuous improvement and while we were delighted with this report we know there is always still more to do.

“We always strive for excellence in all areas of academy life and so we are confident that next time Ofsted visit they will judge us in every area to be an outstanding school.”

In a report, Lead inspector Roger Waddingham praised the school’s leadership.

He wrote: “The principal and senior managers, through their highly effective arrangements for the checking and support of teaching and students’ learning, are making sure that standards continue to rise and that very high GCSE achievement is maintained.”

The academy was not considered outstanding because sixth-form students’ exam results were not consistently high enough.