A SCHOOL which only four years ago was languishing at the bottom of the league tables has been praised for ensuring children get a good start to their education.

Ofsted described Johnson Fold Primary School as a good school with outstanding features.

Inspectors reported: “Pupils thrive in the outstanding care and support they receive. They are confident and keen to learn because they are valued and respected as individuals.

“Pupils enjoy coming to school and their attendance has improved dramatically; it is currently above average.

“Senior leaders’ unequivocal determination to improve the schools’ performance has resulted in raising pupils’ attainment and ensuring that they make good progress.”

The school in Worston Avenue has a higher-thanaverage number of pupils eligible for free school meals and the number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is well above average.

Children’s starting points are overall well below expectations for their age when they join nursery classes.

But thanks to “good quality”

teaching, pupils achieve in line with their peers nationally.

Ofsted said that a notable feature of the school is the care, support and guidance provided to pupils with barriers to their learning.

Headteacher Ruth Dean said: “To get this rating the inspectors acknowledged that not only are many aspects of children’s school life good with a number which are outstanding, but also that we can continue to improve and develop in the future.

“Our good with outstanding features was an excellent result and means the school compares well with the best locally and nationally.

“I would like to thank everyone involved for their contribution, the staff for their hard work, the children who are a credit to the school and all the external partners who support us in ensuring that we working towards being the best that we can be.