STAFF and governors at Dauntsey's Aided Primary School in West Lavington are celebrating an Ofsted report which says the school has improved so much in the last two years it no longer suffers from serious weaknesses.

Former headteacher Phillip Sampey resigned two years ago after an Ofsted inspection in March 2000 slated the school for an absence of strong leadership.

He was replaced by Jacqui Monckton, then head teacher at Shrewton Primary School, and in the latest report she is held responsible for the school's significant improvement in a very short time.

The Ofsted report says: "There have been improvements to the overall curriculum provision, assessment strategies, teaching, the provision for pupils' personal development, child protection procedures and the provision for pupils with special educational needs.

"Management, behaviour and the school's links with parents have improved significantly.

"However, the standards in mathematics and science being reached by pupils by the time they leave the school have not improved at a fast enough rate as the school's major focus has been on English.

"In view of the improvements made since the last inspection and the good capacity of the head teacher and staff to achieve further improvements in the future, it is the judgement of this inspection that the school is no longer suffering from serious weaknesses."

The report also notes that standards in English, computer technology and music have improved, with music and art and design being particular strengths.

It says the school is very popular with pupils and parents and teaching is good overall, which has a positive effect on the quality of the pupils' learning.

Chairman of governors, John Ford, said: "Everybody at the school is absolutely delighted with the progress we have made. The head teacher, staff and governors have worked incredibly hard to get to this position.

"I am confident that we can go forward from here to improve even further."

Mrs Monckton added: "This is a testament to the commitment to the school shown by all staff and parents and, of course, the children.

"I am thrilled we are moving in the right direction and hopefully the measures we are putting in place will mean a continued improvement in standards."

The governors now have to put together an action plan to address the areas of potential improvement identified in the report.

Among these are further improvements to standards in maths and science to match the above-average standards in English by the end of key stage two, and to compare the running costs of the school with similar schools.

Ofsted inspectors noted the costs were above average.