PUPILS and staff at Shottermill Junior School were celebrating this week, following a successful OFSTED report and a £5,850 School Achievement Award.
Following their visit in March, the OFSTED inspectors have praised the school for providing "good quality education" and good value for money.
The report states that the school has made satisfactory improvement since its last inspection in 1997. Standards have improved in English, history, and music in particular.
The relationship between the school and parents was felt to be very good, with help provided on school trips, with fundraising, and home learning.
The school's new headteacher, Linda O'Boyle, who joined in January, was also singled out for praise.
The inspectors said that although she only started the job recently, Ms O'Boyle was already making progress.
On the downside, the report said that there was a lack of clarity about the roles and responsibilities of the large number of support staff.
Overall, Ms O'Boyle was very pleased with the outcome.
"I am very proud indeed of this report and the fact that I have been appointed to lead a school whose staff have made it into an organisation of such high calibre," she said.
"They fully deserve the praise that the inspectors have given them, which has been underlined by the School Achievement Award, which in itself speaks volumes for their dedicated hard work.
"Our problems are being addressed and I am receiving positive co-operation from everybody," Ms O'Boyle continued. "We shall continue to build on our established reputation."
Bob Tindall, the chairman of the governors, supported the headteacher's views.
"The inspectors' report is no more than the school, its staff and pupils deserve and I know I speak on behalf of my fellow governors when I say it is a privilege to be associated with all of them."