Preshute School continues to retain the family feel one normally associates with village schools even though it is technically in a suburb of Marlborough.

It is also one of those schools that is always in demand. Parents clamour to send their children there from a wide area because of its reputation of being a top performer that always ends up high in the league tables.

But most of all, emphasised head teacher Celia Hicks, it is a happy school that is a village school at heart.

“I think we still operate as a village school and have the village school ethos,” said the head.

“We have lots of people from the community coming in to help and share their various expertise,” said Mrs Hicks.

The school sits on a very cramped site and although the original Victorian building has been much extended the school still continues to bulge at the seams.

There is no hall suitable for sports so the older children travel by bus to Marlborough Leisure Centre while outdoor sports take place on Manton’s Jubilee playing field.

The lack of having its own playing field has not stopped the school virtually scooping the local cluster sports awards last year, said Mrs Hicks who added: “Brilliant, when you consider our crummy facilities.”

Music is important to the school which has 140 pupils taking part in music lessons or learning to play some sort of instrument.

The school is very proud of its Gold Artsmark representing its dedication to the performing arts and music as well as traditional art.