STAFF and pupils at St Peter’s in Pilning are celebrating after education inspectors increased their grading of the primary school.

They said the school was now assessed as good, an improvement on the previous rating of satisfactory.

The inspectors from watchdog Ofsted praised "strong and decisive" leadership by new headteacher Paul Overton and support by governors for a significant improvement in teaching and quickly rising standards.

Lead inspector Martin Marsh said: "Pupils now leave the school with attainment in reading and mathematics that is above average because carefully planned teaching programmes ensure that pupils learn to read quickly and are confident with arithmetic.

"The school’s positive ethos, based on Christian values and the commitment to promoting all aspects of pupils’ well-being, makes a significant contribution to pupils’ good behaviour.

"Teaching is consistently good across the school because pupils listen attentively, they are given good support by additional adults in lessons and they learn well from each other when given the chance to work together.

"The school engages well with its parent community, who are fully supportive of what the school is doing. This, together with the commitment of the staff and governors, is ensuring everyone is pulling in the same direction."

Mr Marsh highlighted some areas that needed attention and which resulted in St Peter's not yet being an outstanding school.

They included standards of writing not being as high as in reading and mathematics and boys in particular not getting enough opportunity to write about things that interested them.

But he said there were excellent relationships between pupils and teachers, that pupils worked hard and they produced considerable amounts of work during lessons.

Pupils talked enthusiastically to inspectors about their work and life in school whenever they were given the opportunity. They were polite, well mannered and enjoyed school, Mr Overton said the school had come a long way since its previous inspection in November, 2011.

Alison Dark, chairman of governors at the school, said: “We want St Peter’s to be regarded as an outstanding school so it was very important for us that this inspection confirmed that we are a good school on its way to being outstanding."