STAFF and children at a church primary school are celebrating after it was found to be outstanding in all areas by inspectors who were judging it on its Christian ethos.

Rowde C of E Academy headteacher Lorraine Colquhoun was delighted that her school went to the top of the class in all four categories.

She said: "This is an absolutely fantastic judgment and rightfully recognises what a truly special place Rowde C of E Primary Academy is."

The report from the Statutory Inspection of Anglican, Methodist and Ecumenical Schools (SIAMS) was full of praise.

It said: "The commitment to and care for every individual, encapsulated in leaders’ vision, is a powerful demonstration of the living out of Christian love which strives for the best outcomes for everyone."

Ms Colquhoun said: "All the staff, children and governors deserve this wonderful outcome.

"The inspector was very taken by the fact that the children described the school as like a family and she commented to us that she has very rarely heard schools using the word ‘love’ as often as we did.

"We told her that we love coming to work and we love the children and they in turn reciprocated this. Needless to say I ‘love’ this result. What a privilege it is to be the head teacher here."

The SIAMS inspection was carried out on February 24 and the school was told the result on Thursday. The principal objective of SIAMS inspection is to evaluate the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the school as a church school, and how well the distinctive Christian character and ethos of the school ensure the development and achievement of the whole child or young person.

The inspector wrote of Rowde: "The Biblically-inspired vision statement, ‘A bright start for a bright future’, is known by everyone and has a positive impact on behaviour, relationships and attitudes to learning.

"The commitment to and care for every individual, encapsulated in leaders’ vision, is a powerful demonstration of the living out of Christian love which strives for the best outcomes for everyone."

The only areas the school was told it could improve on was building on pupils' enthusiasm and develop their understanding of worship, expressed in diverse forms, so they are able confidently to plan and lead worship in all the settings in which it occurs.

It was also advised to review documentation to ensure it communicates the rich Christian ethos which is lived out so passionately within the school.

The inspector particularly noted the lack of bullying in the school and wrote: "There are very few instances of bullying. The introduction of a relaxed, activity-based start to each day is an initiative which has successfully reduced incidents of poor behaviour.

"Pupils like this change to the day saying it calms them and ‘wakes us up for learning’.

"They recognise that teachers make learning fun and they like the opportunities they are given to choose what they will learn on pupil choice days."