An Ashford school which strives for ‘excellence in everything’ requires improvements, according to its latest Ofsted report.

The governing body has awarded the Towers School and Sixth Form Centre, which was inspected in September, a good - a grade two - for its leadership and management and for the behaviour and safety of pupils.

However, the report, published today, also found the Faversham Road school requires improvements in its quality of teaching, pupils' achievements and the school’s sixth form provisions.

The three grade three scores and two grade twos mean that overall the school has been judged as requiring improvement - something principal Richard Billings now plans to appeal.

The school failed to achieve 'outstanding' in any areas.

The report states that the inspectors found some students, in particular some disabled and less able students, are not achieving as well as they should, and that some teachers are not asking enough ‘probing questions’ nor consistently applying the school’s literacy policy.

It said: “Teaching requires improvements because there is too much variation in the quality of teaching so not all students make the progress they should.

"Teachers do not consistently use information about their students' prior achievement to plan learning activities which enables them to learn well and make good progress.”

The report also found that the school’s sixth form centre needs improving, as ‘achievements in academic courses over time has not been strong enough’.

“Students’ behaviour is good. They feel safe, are welcoming and courteous to visitors and take pride in their appearance, their work and their school.”

The school's last inspection was carried out in September 2012, when it was also found to be requiring improvements.

Suggestions in the report include improving the impact of teaching to raise achievement and making sure all students have the opportunity to answer and ask probing questions.

Improving students' literacy skills is also recommended.

The report however does highlight the school’s strengths and noted that rapid improvements have been made due to the ‘inspirational leadership’ of Mr Billings, who ‘has successfully embedded a culture of striving for excellence in everything’.

It also states: “Leadership and management are good. School leaders, including governors, have taken carefully planned and decisive actions to improve the school. As a result, staff morale is high.

“Students’ behaviour is good. They feel safe, are welcoming and courteous to visitors and take pride in their appearance, their work and their school.”

Additionally, the report revealed students' attendance has improved and is above national expectations, English is good and in line with national average, achievement in mathematics is also on the rise, and that there is little bullying in the school.

Mr Billings, who took over as principal in January, advised that behaviour, leadership and management have been judged good and that attendance has rapidly improved at the school, which was recently converted to an academy.

He said: “We are extremely pleased with the way the new timings to the school day are working. This has been endorsed by over 60 new students coming to Towers since September.

“Towers is one of the top performing high schools in Kent and we have submitted an Ofsted appeal into the Department of Education as we strongly believe that the Kent selective system was not taken into account when they awarded us a “3”.

“The Ofsted team recognised the rapid improvement in behaviour and the environment of the school which includes refurbished classrooms, brand new Welfare centre, transformed toilets and changing facilities, state of the art 3G sports pitch, upgraded ICT suites, fleet of minibuses, extensive Saturday school, improved communication between parents and Welfare team, innovative school day timings and a vast array of enrichment activities."