PUPILS and staff at a North Shropshire primary school are celebrating after receiving an eye-catching Ofsted report.

St John the Baptist Primary School, in Ruyton-XI-Towns, has been rated good overall and outstanding for its early years provision in the report, which has been made public following an inspection on the March 5 and 6

The report says that support for pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.

It also praises leaders and governors at the school for placing high expectations on themselves, the pupils and all staff.

Julie Ball, the school’s executive headteacher, said: “We are delighted to receive this report, which offers a super reflection of the work in our school. I must say a massive well done to both the pupils and the staff for their hard work in recent years to achieve this outcome.

“We now have a number of aspects judged as outstanding. This is testament to the developments and changes which have been put in place over a number of years. I would like to say a big thank you to all who have shared their suggestions and worked with us to do this so positively for the children in our school.

“The children are at the heart of everything we do and every decision we take, and I think that comes across very clearly in this report.”

The report praises the “broad and balanced” curriculum as a strength of the school, which offers a wide range of opportunities to enhance and enrich learning across all subjects.

It also reflects on polite, well-mannered pupils who model the school’s values of hope, love and respect – highlighting that these values underpin everything they do.

Special praise is reserved for the early years provision, with the report stating that children get off to an excellent start – benefitting from high-quality teaching, and as a result making substantial and sustained progress in many areas of learning.

Keith Lister, chairman of the school’s governing body, said: “I am incredibly proud of this report, as are all of our governors. It really reflects the hard work of so many people over the last few years.

“I would like to offer my congratulations to our executive headteacher, Julie Ball, for her outstanding leadership, and to all the staff, sponsors and volunteers at the school for their commitment and passion.

“We will not rest on our laurels with this report. We will continue to work hard to keep improving and to keep developing our outstanding young people.

“We would be delighted to see more families coming to our school and trusting us with the education of their children. I would personally be delighted to talk to anybody wanting to find out more about the school and what we have to offer,”