Clevedon Community School is living up to its name – by making an outstanding contribution to its neighbourhood.

That was the verdict of the learning watchdog Ofsted after its latest visit to the 1,233-pupil comprehensive.

Ofsted said the town's secondary school had made major strides in the three years since it was last inspected.

It was said to be providing a satisfactory education overall and its capacity to improve further was described as good.

The school – which has a language specialism – was praised for its promotion of community cohesion and its "extensive support for language learning in local schools and the wider community".

Inspectors also highlighted the school's ambitious and clear leadership and its house system, with mixed-age tutor groups.

The inspectors said much was being done to raise the overall quality of teaching and learning and that they saw some "superb learning where lesson activities were varied, imaginative and designed to challenge and interest every student".

They praised the shared model framework of the five-part "Clevedon Lesson" and recognised the development of the school's curriculum and the rapid increase in the provision of vocational options for students aged 14 to 16.

The report also highlighted the excellence of the school's sixth form, describing it as "a real success story " in its provision of varied and quality teaching and emphasis on independent learning.

Head teacher John Wells said: "Visitors to our school consistently comment on the vibrant student voice, our open-door involvement with the wider community and our showcasing of best practice to other schools. It is rewarding to have an inspection team visit and see this demonstrated. The report notes the high morale of our staff and their clear subscription to our school 'vision and ambition'; this is a school that is firmly on target to become outstanding.

"Overall, Ofsted rated Clevedon as satisfactory, and we will now work to build on the many good and outstanding judgements we achieved in this inspection.

"It has been interesting to give Ofsted feedback on this inspection pilot and the new criteria used for grading categories. I'm delighted that Ofsted reflected on the major strides we have taken since the last inspection, and the fact that our data indicates that students' learning progress and achievement continues to improve. Our immediate focus is to build on our significantly improved 2008 GCSE and A-level results."

Geoff Blakeman, chairman of governors, said: "Governors wholly support the school on its road to excellence and will work fully with the school to achieve this."

Pippa Gribben, extended schools adviser, said: "Clevedon School has shown tremendous commitment to its community work, building really strong links with the primary schools, local groups and businesses. I am very impressed with the range of opportunities it offers to local families and community members."