A SPECIALIST school for elite athletes and performing arts students has been judged good by Ofsted in its first ever inspection.

Government inspectors said the LeAF Studio in Bournemouth, which opened in 2012, is “a delightful place to learn”.

It was judged as good across the board and was praised for raising the academic levels of its students and providing them with a rich variety of experiences and a strong motivation to pursue their ambitions.

Executive principal of the LeAF Studio Dr Annetta Minard said: “We are delighted at this very positive affirmation of our unique school.

“I was particularly pleased that the inspectors recognised the extremely dedicated nature of our students and their high motivation to succeed.

“We are fortunate to have some very talented students at the studio and it is our aim to help them achieve their goals while equally ensuring their academic attainment.”

The LeAF Studio provides specialist coaching and training to elite athletes and performers aged 14 to 19.

It enables athletes and young performers to benefit from the support of a specialist team of staff, who ensure that both performance and academic development are maximised.

LeAF Studio opened as a ‘school within a school’ at the Oak Academy in September 2012 before moving to its own purpose-built premises in September 2013.

Vice principal Paul Green added: “We’re now working towards an ‘outstanding’ rating and the excellent feedback from Ofsted will help us on our way to achieving that.”