T HE last year has been an extremely successful one for us at Backwell School.

In November, Ofsted inspectors judged the school and the Sixth Form to be 'outstanding'. Backwell is the only secondary school in the area to receive that accolade. It is not just results that count – 37 out of 39 separate categories are, according to Ofsted, 'outstanding'.

This judgement is borne out by the fact that Backwell students have achieved the best GCSE and A'Level results in the area. 76 per cent of our students gained at least five grades A* - C, and using the government's preferred new measure of success, 70 per cent have gained five A* - including Maths and English.

At A'Level, 22 students achieved at least three grade A passes, and 10 gained at least four grade A passes.

Backwell students will be starting at Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard Universities next month, and other students gained places on highly competitive courses such as medicine. Overall, nearly a third of all exam entries achieved a grade A pass, and 56 per cent per cent were A or B passes.

These figures are higher than many selective or grammar schools, but Backwell is a comprehensive secondary school serving all of its community. We aim to provide challenging education to youngsters of all abilities, preparing them for life in this fast changing century.

Our children achieve not only excellent academic success, but they also take part in a wide, exciting range of new experiences, in and out of the classroom: theatrical, musical, artistic, technical, sporting, outdoor, or just plain fun!

Backwell School is a specialist performing and visual arts school and, in July 2009, the Arts Mark Council awarded us Arts Mark Gold status. However, a quick look at our exam results year-on-year show that our students achieve all-round excellence, from the core subjects to vocational courses and practical experience in the work place.

I believe that every individual has different skills and potential, and that his or her success must be valued. For once in my life, I agree completely with a government slogan: "Every Child Matters". At Backwell, every child does matter. No one should miss a successful, rewarding and happy time at school.

We expect a lot from our students, too. We expect them to work hard, play hard and behave well. Our key word is respect. Finally, there is a crucial third part of the equation – parents. We want to work with you in helping your child succeed.