IN a year when one Darlington school was deemed to be failing, another branded with "serious weaknesses" and a third subject to termly monitoring, education bosses have been told they should be pleased with the overall progress of schools in Darlington.

The message, set out in a report to go before Darlington Borough Council's lifelong learning scrutiny committee on Monday, says six out of the seven Darlington schools examined by Ofsted inspectors last year were deemed to be at least satisfactory.

Between September 2004 and last July, two nursery schools, four primary schools and one secondary school in Darlington were inspected.

During the year, Branksome School was placed into special measures (a term used for a failing school) and serious weaknesses were identified at Bishopton Redmarshall Primary School.

In addition, Eastbourne Comprehensive, which came out of special measures in November 2004, was subject to termly monitoring visits by Her Majesty's Inspectors.

Since their negative inspections, Bishopton Redmarshall and Branksome have made good progress.

The report reads: "At Bishopton Redmarshall...the causes of serious weakness were judged to have been addressed."

The other schools inspected were Borough Road Nursery School, Albert Hill Nursery School, Abbey Infant School, Heathfield Primary School, St Teresa's Primary School. These received good and satisfactory Ofsted reports.

The report to the scrutiny committee reads: "Where Ofsted identified serious concerns, these have been remedied in one of the town school so identified.

"The other school is judged to be making satisfactory progress. The local authority can be pleased with the overall progress."