AN INDEPENDENT school near Oswestry has been rated excellent after its latest inspection.

Packwood School, in Ruyton-XI-Towns, was rated ‘excellent’ in all areas in its recent full inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

Packwood – a co-educational prep school which is part of Shrewsbury School, and which serves pupils aged four to 13 – was praised for the quality of pupils’ academic development, their achievements and their personal development.

Headmaster Rob Fox said: “We are delighted at Packwood to receive such a glowing inspection report.

“The excellent feedback is testament to the hard work of our staff and to the dedication of our pupils, who showcase the best of Packwood and all we strive for our children to be.”

Marcus Moir, chairman of the Prep School Committee, added: “It’s wonderful to see our thriving school recognised for its excellent standards as it deserves.

“Packwood is a fantastic school full of happy children enjoying their education and school life, and it’s very pleasing for all involved that this has been noted by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.”

Packwood is part of Shrewsbury School and Leo Winkley, headmaster at Shrewsbury, has also commended Packwood on their achievement.

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He added: “Packwood’s excellent rating is a great outcome for the School and one which is thoroughly well-deserved.

“We are delighted that the wonderful efforts of pupils, staff and the entire community at Packwood are acknowledged and celebrated in the report.”

The inspection report noted that “pupils are excellent communicators who show outstanding skills” and that their “attitudes to learning show extremely high levels of perseverance and commitment in lessons”.

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The pupils were also praised for being respectful and honest, according “Pupils develop high levels of resilience, self-confidence and self-discipline, fostered by the values of sharing, being respectful and honesty, as espoused in the ‘Packwood Way’ and the emphasis placed on these by the staff throughout the school”.

Packwood facilities are also shared with its pre-prep department Acorns, where children from reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are educated ahead of their move to the prep school.

The inspection report also commends Acorns, adding that pupils “demonstrate high levels of knowledge, skills and understanding, supported by the school’s wide-ranging integrated topic approach in the pre-prep”.