CHILDREN and staff at Whiteparish Primary School are celebrating their school being rated as outstanding by Ofsted.

Inspectors visited the school on November 20 and 21 and concluded it is now outstanding, after a previous good rating, in a report published last week. The school has been rated outstanding in all areas: achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, behaviour and safety of pupils, and leadership and management.

The report says: “Pupils’ achievement is outstanding. From the time they enter school, pupils consistently make rapid progress in English and mathematics. At the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards that are significantly above average.”

It also praised school leaders who have “high ambitions” for the school, and said they “take highly effective steps to continually improve all aspects of the school’s performance”.

Teaching assistants and governors were also praised for their contribution, and inspectors said children “thrive in a supportive and caring environment” where they “always feel safe”.

“Their enthusiasm for learning adds to the progress they make,” the report said. To make further improvements, inspectors said the school needs to ensure that the skills of middle leaders are further developed to make sure they “make a significant contribution to achievement and the quality of teaching and learning in the school”.

Headteacher Kate Heathcote said: “The governors and I are delighted with this and are proud of all the staff and children. It is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of all the teachers and teaching assistants, as well as the support of the governors and parents that has made this possible, making it a privilege to be the head of such a wonderful school. We are now looking forward to new challenges.”