Ofsted inspectors have praised the “noticeable improvement” in a primary school near Oswestry.

Whittington CofE (VA) Primary School was recognised by inspectors for “values of love, honesty, courage, quality and community" that run through the school.

Ofsted awarded the school a ‘good’ rating and found that there had been an improvement in the curriculum, which had raised the pupils' skills.

Headteacher at the school, Carl Rogers, said: "The inspection recognised many of the wonderful things we are achieving together at our school. This success reflects the hard work, passion, and dedication each person in our school community brings to our children every single day.

"I’m so proud of the way we have worked collectively to create an environment that nurtures, challenges and supports every child.

"While it’s always rewarding to see our efforts acknowledged in this way, we must also recognise the limitations of the inspection process. 

"Ofsted provides a snapshot of what a school is doing within a limited framework and, as we know, it cannot capture the full picture.

"The creativity, care, and individual attention staff give to our children, the ways in which we encourage personal growth and cultivate resilience, and the countless acts of kindness that occur every day are often outside the remit of a formal inspection.

"Inspections don’t sufficiently account for the challenges and unique circumstances we face and overcome as a school.

"It’s worth remembering that what we do as a school is not motivated by, and goes far beyond, meeting inspection criteria – our work is about creating a positive, lasting impact on young lives, something that no external inspection can fully measure. 

In their report, inspectors noted that in previous years, some pupils "did not achieve high enough standards in reading and writing".

They added: "The school has redesigned parts of the curriculum and set ambitious targets for pupils to achieve. As a result, pupils have started to achieve higher standards in reading and writing.

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“There have been several noticeable improvements to the curriculum. The school has focused on improving pupils’ reading, writing and mathematical knowledge.

“For example, the mathematics curriculum is carefully thought through and well designed to meet the needs of all pupils.

“This is making a difference as pupils are increasing their confidence with number and problem-solving.”

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Inspectors were also full of praise for the behaviour and standards set in the school.

Ofsted said: “The school has set high expectations for pupils’ behaviour, This high expectation is matched by staff.

"Pupils behave well. They feel safe and know who to talk to if they have a worry.”

Staff and the school's leadership were also praised for their work. Inspectors found that staff were well trained and taught the content of the curriculum effectively.

“They make accurate checks on pupils’ learning," the inspection report added.

"When pupils make mistakes, they are readily addressed. Pupils demonstrate positive behaviour towards their learning.

“Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the leadership of the school. They appreciate that leaders make sure that their workload and well-being are well managed.”