Outstanding Somerset school

YOUNGSTERS in Somerset were jumping for joy when their school received an outstanding Ofsted report.

Pupils at Weare First School can now boast they attend a school ranked in the top five per cent in the country.

After Ofsted inspectors visited the school in October it was rated as 'outstanding' in all eight categories.

The school near Notting Hill Way, which educates 147 children aged from four to nine, received one of the best reports possible by inspectors.

Headteacher David Williams said: "Everyone in the school played an important part in our success, including staff, governors, parents and of course the pupils.

"We have five pupils who require special needs education which is quite a high number for a small rural school.

"This is a tremendous achievement that we are all very proud of and we will be holding a party tomorrow (Fri) to say thank you to the children for their wonderful work, day in, day out."

While inspectors were in the school they spoke to one parent who said: "The school is so alive that it literally buzzes."

The report, released last week, also said: "Pupils join the school with standards that are below expectations for their age and they leave with exceptionally high standards.

"Pupils behave extremely well, both in and around the school, and are polite and friendly to adults and caring towards each other."

Inspectors have eight areas to consider in their reports, including sections on teaching and learning, achievement and standards and personal development and well-being. Each section is given a grade of either inadequate, satisfactory, good or outstanding.

The school will now be listed in the 2008 Government list of Outstanding Providers in Education.

Mr Williams added: "I can now say with complete confidence and Ofsted's unequivocal endorsement, Weare First School is an outstanding school.