A SCHOOL is celebrating the start of the new year.

At Dowdales School in Dalton pupils and teachers have started term on a positive note after been praised by inspectors.

The school received a ‘good’ grading by Ofsted inspectors in all four areas of the inspection after a visit in July.

It came as new headteacher Emma Aubrey started her first term in charge after moving up from deputy head.

She replaced Julie O’Connor who retired at the end of the last school year after nine years.

Ms O’Connor said she would spend her retirement travelling in Scandinavia and hoped to visit the Norwegian archipelago Svalbard.

“It was a lovely start to the year. All the success at the school is because of a real team effort,” Miss Aubrey said of the latest Ofsted report.

The school year also starts not long after Year 11 leavers celebrated success in their GSCEs.

A number of pupils are starting at places including Barrow Sixth Form College and Ulverston Victoria High School’s sixth form.

An open evening takes place at the school on September 25.