A GLOWING Ofsted report has been given to Cold Aston C of E Primary School which achieved an ‘Outstanding’ rating in every one of the five assessment categories.

During its most recent inspection on January 29 and January 30 the school improved on its previous rating of ‘Good’ and was praised by inspectors in every area.

The criteria that school are inspected on are leadership and management, behaviour and safety of pupils, quality of teaching, achievement of pupils and early years provision.

To be designated as an outstanding institution a school must provide exceptionally well for all of its pupils’ needs and leave them well equipped for the next stage of their education or employment.

Inspectors heaped praise upon the school and only made one recommendation for improvement, suggesting that staff in leadership positions who were new to their roles would need to develop a full range of skills to help boost pupil achievement.

The report praised the work of staff, the impeccable behaviour of the students and the efforts of head teacher Alexandra Symondson, who came to the school just before its last Ofsted report six years ago, in bringing the school to the exceptional standard it is now at.

Jo Grills, director of education, learning and libraries at Gloucestershire County Council sent a letter to Miss Symondson to congratulate her on the achievement of the school and to note her “uncompromising drive as head teacher for excellence and high expectations”.

She added: “This is a remarkable achievement given the more rigorous nature of the new inspection framework.”

Miss Symondson said that she was incredibly happy with the report and thanked everybody involved with the school for their hard work.

She added: “We’re thrilled. You can’t put on a performance for Ofsted so what they saw is what we are.

“This is the culmination of the determination and hard work of a staff, students and governors.”