IT MAY have only just celebrated its tenth birthday, but what Catherine Wayte Primary School lacks in age, it certainly makes up for in quality.

The school, in Abbey Meads, has just been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted inspectors who visited during a week of birthday celebrations last month.

Headteacher Laura Brierley, who has been at the school for the past four years said staff, children, governors and parents all helped the school achieve its ultimate goal.

“We are so pleased,” she said.

“I would like to thank the highly professional and dedicated teaching team, the sense of team work and commitment of support staff, and the input of governors.

“Most of all, we must recognise the part played by our outstanding children and the love, time and encouragement given to them by their families.”

During the previous inspection in 2007, the school was rated good with outstanding features and improvements have been made since then to ensure the school could blossom.

“We have taken on an extra teacher and have two new classrooms, we are always improving,” said Mrs Brierley.

“It’s a lovely school to work in – we had a comment from a parent in the report which said we have helped them to bring up confident, happy children who love going to school.

“Every single person in the school knows they are special, whether they are gifted and talented, have special needs, everybody is important.”

Mrs Brierley said the achievement was even more impressive because targets were raised last year when the new Ofsted framework was introduced.

“We were aware that they had raised the bar and we knew that if we were going to be graded outstanding overall, it would be a lot of commitment, and everybody working together.

“It was a very busy week when the inspectors came as we were celebrating our tenth birthday.

“But everybody rose to the occasion and the outcome has been outstanding.”