STOKEINTEIGNHEAD Primary School has just received the best Christmas present it could have dreamed of – a glowing Ofsted report. The school has been judged outstanding with inspectors heaping praise on the 75-pupil primary for providing an 'outstanding quality of education'. Two inspectors descended on the school for 4-11 year olds on December 11. Every aspect of the school's activities has received top marks, winning plaudits for its high quality curriculum, stimulating programme of extra-curricula activities, 'exceptional' success in promoting pupils' moral, social and spiritual development, a well-motivated staff, outstanding leadership and effective financial governance. 'Pupils' personal development is outstanding. By the time they leave the school they have developed a level of maturity that allows them to be self-confident yet self-evaluative learners,' it says. It says that the school caters as well for those with learning difficulties and disabilities as high achievers. Significant improvements have been made in both Key Stages 1 and 2 with standards in Key Stage 2 well above average. The small year groups undoubtedly play a role in this and in 2005 the school was in the top eight per cent nationally in maths and top 14 per cent in English. 'Pupils are particularly successful in learning to use language to allow them to think, discuss and debate. They are given high quality experiences in a very wide range of subjects that makes them thoughtful and well rounded young people.' School was seen to be 'exceptionally successful in promoting pupils' moral, social and spiritual development'. Initiatives such as buddying, peer mediators and the school council have helped promote a positive atmosphere, in which incidents of bullying are rare. The children are introduced to a wide range of cultural experiences in music, drama and art. The only less than glowing note struck in the report was that in this relatively protected corner of England, more emphasis should be placed on cultural diversity within the UK. The school's success is the direct result, the report says, of the outstanding leadership and management of the school. Headteacher, Robert Cross, is praised as a 'successful leader' who has fostered a strong team spirit among staff, which in turn provides pupils with 'excellent role models in the way they care for and support both pupils and each other.' The school's thorough system of self-evaluation enabled it to pick up on the need to promote speaking and listening skills, which it tackled through a use of drama and which according to the inspectors produced 'marked results'. The report says that the school has managed to plan, obtain and use its financial resources efficiently, maintaining stable staffing levels, despite widely varying numbers in different year groups. The report summary concludes: 'They [pupils] learn to work hard and to enjoy school, as well as learning to live, work and play safely and harmoniously. Parents are very happy with the education provided and pupils love their school.'