Delight after primary school is rated as outstanding

Headteacher Katie Jones praised staff and pupils at Stottesdon C of E Primary, near Bridgnorth, after Ofsted awarded top marks in every inspection category.

Inspectors released their report yesterday after visiting the school, which has 78 pupils and four teachers, in July.

Mrs Jones, who has been at Stottesdon for six years, said: "We were ranked as outstanding in 2008 but since then tougher framework criteria on marking from Ofsted has come into force, meaning it's harder to achieve an outstanding inspection.

"We feel very privileged with the inspection result. Teachers and pupils here work very hard, so it's nice for that to be recognised."

Ofsted's key findings said the school was outstanding because it had 'sustained the high levels of achievement for all its pupils and is exceptionally well-led and managed'.

The report said: "All staff are highly effective in the way they use data to plan for outstanding progress, enabling all pupils to fulfil their potential."

The report said: "This school has high expectations for all its pupils. Self-evaluation is very accurate and underpins all aspects of the school's performance in order to secure ongoing improvement.

"Teaching provides excellent opportunities for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development."

The only minor criticism of the school was the 'relative weakness in younger pupils' spelling of some common words'.

The school's Ofsted inspector Sarah Bentley wrote a letter to the pupils following her visit. In the letter she praises their efforts, adding she was very impressed with how the school was run.