SOUTH Tawton Primary School has had a fantastic start to the new academic year, after the school was rated 'good' in every aspect of its latest Ofsted report.

The report, published on October 16, praised the school for making sure 'pupils make good progress and achieve well across the school. By the end of Year 6, they reach standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are above average.'

The school was rated good in all four inspection categories — achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management. The school's early years provision was also rated as good.

Because of the good leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage, pupils finished the reception class with a good level of development that was consistently above the national level.

This continued throughout the school with above average standards at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and maths and at the end of Year 6.

In this year's SATs tests, significant numbers of pupils achieved the higher Level 5+ standard with 52% in grammar, punctuation and spelling, 48% in reading and 34% in maths.

And 17% of pupils achieved the highest Level 6 results in maths and 10% in grammar, punctuation and spelling which compared very favourably with this year's national results of 8% and 4% respectively.

Inspectors were due to visit the school in 2013 but the inspection was postponed because the school had been doing so well, with a 'good' rating in 2009. Since then Ofsted has introduced a tougher inspection regime, so the result stands as a testament to the quality of the school.

Headteacher Heather Poustie said that everyone at the school was pleased by the report's outcome.

She said: 'We are delighted with the very high standards reached and rate of progress made by pupils at the school.

'I am pleased that the inspectors noted many strengths and that it was recognised all staff and governors share ambition for continued school improvement.

'With the building plans for three new classrooms and a school hall to start early in 2015, we have a very exciting time ahead.'

The report said: 'Teaching is good and makes a strong contribution to pupils' learning. The school provides pupils with an interesting range of subjects, topics and experiences which ensures they enjoy their learning.

'The behaviour of pupils is good. They are proud of their school and show respect to staff and to each other.

'The headteacher, well supported by governors and other school leaders, has improved pupils' achievement and the quality of teaching. They are taking strong actions to bring about further improvement.

'Parents feel confident that their children are well cared for in school and make good progress.'

To improve further, assessors said that some of the most able pupils at the school found work too easy and needed to always have tasks that developed their learning and helped them progress as far as possible.

The rates of progress that pupils made varied between classes and work was being done to make all of the school's teaching outstanding.