Two Folkestone schools are celebrating good Ofsted reports this week after previously being told to improve at their last inspections.

Both Folkestone Academy and Christ Church CofE Primary Academy were rated as ‘good’ by inspectors following their last ratings of ‘requires improvement’.

Folkestone Academy, which has more than 1,800 pupils aged between three and 18, was last inspected by Ofsted in June 2013.

Inspectors said they were impressed with the teaching, pupil behaviour and leadership at the school after their visit to the Academy Lane school in October.

However, one of the reasons it was not rated “outstanding” overall was because the school’s secondary homework policy was “unsustainable”.

The school has been told it needs to review the existing policy “urgently” and “in full consultation with parents and pupils so that it is workable and accepted in the academy community”.

Hundreds of parents protested during the summer holidays over changes made by the school which were described as a “total joke” by some.

A petition was raised against the school’s plans to reintroduce homework to pupils despite the school day lasting two hours longer than most.

Early years provision at the Folkestone Academy, for pupils in the kindergarten and reception class at the Primary Academy, was rated “outstanding”.

The report praises children for achieving higher than the national average by the time they finish reception year. It adds leaders and staff in the kindergarten and reception show “considerable expertise”.

Inspectors recognised the academy did not meet secondary pupils’ results and progress in 2014 but that it is “likely to meet” the standards for both primary and secondary in 2015 based on “unvalidated results”.

Head teachers Warren Smith, of Folkestone Academy, and Louise Lythgoe, of Folkestone Primary Academy, said in a statement: “We are extremely proud that the findings of this inspection reinforced what we know to be true: That our students are wonderful and our staff work exceptionally hard to enable each of them to fulfil their potential.

“The Academy is a good school and it’s improving. We are excited by the challenge of the next phase of our development.”

However, while there were positive reports inspectors noted areas where improvements were still needed.

This included the homework issue but highlighted teaching is “not consistently good in Years 7 to 11” while GCSE results are “not yet good enough”.

Christ Church Academy showed improvements across several areas, inspectors said in the school’s report published this week.

It was rated as “requires improvement” during the school’s last inspection in June 2013.

The Brockman Road school, which has 410 pupils, was visited by inspectors last month.

The report notes there has been “important improvements in the quality of teaching since the previous inspection” and teaching is “consistently good” throughout the school.

It praised teachers for planning “lively, interesting lessons which engage and enthuse pupils”.

The report said the school was not yet outstanding because some teachers did not always tailor mathematics activities to individual pupil needs “particularly the most able” who complete their work “too easily”.

Inspectors said the school should also make sure “all subject leaders analyse and use information about pupils’ progress rigorously to secure further improvements in the quality of teaching”.

Head teacher Jim Kreiselmeier said he was pleased with the report and the recognition from Ofsted about the progress the school had made.

He added: “I think this time they got our Academy spot on.

“We’ve gone through the report and had a thorough discussion and how we can move forward and about how we can keep getting better and better.

“We’re here to provide the best education possible.”