THE head teacher of a Barrow primary school has praised the efforts of pupils, staff, governors and families after receiving top praise from the education watchdog.

An Ofsted inspector visited the 166-pupil Barrow Island Community Primary School in the last week of term before the summer break and reported his findings this week.

He found the school, on Trinity Street, continued to be good after its last inspection in 2014.

Janet Dixon, who is now in her 11th year as head, said: “At the end of my first year we were given a notice to improve so it’s been a consistent journey of improvement across all areas. Staff, pupils and families are all one big family.”

Among the areas of praise was the introduction of a pre-school in 2017 for two and three-year-olds.

Under the direction of the school’s governors, you have managed the very successful introduction of provision for two- and three-year-old children. The qualities that are clearly seen throughout the rest of the school are also evident in this provision.

Mrs Dixon said: “We wanted to make sure that the children coming into reception are school ready. We decided to take three-year-olds but the community approached us to take two-year-olds too.”

The report said pupils ‘flourish because every member of staff is dedicated to helping pupils develop and learn’.

“Staff are very clear about their roles and their responsibilities and have high expectations of what they and their pupils can achieve,” it said.

“Your passion is infectious and this inspires both staff and pupils. Staff and pupils are one big team, working harmoniously towards ensuring that pupils’ personal development and achievement are the best they can be.”

It said a ‘large proportion’ of pupils join the school with ‘social and emotional skills that are underdeveloped for their age’.

But it added: “Teachers and support staff are highly skilled in quickly identifying pupils’ diverse range of needs and in giving excellent support. Consequently, pupils settle into the school quickly. They feel secure and are happy. In classes, they are able to concentrate on their learning and achieve well.

“Highly effective safeguarding is based on excellent open and trusting relationships between pupils and staff.

“If a pupil had a concern, they would confidently discuss it with an adult in school.

“Leaders ensure that staff are well trained in responding to any concerns they may have about pupils’ welfare, including safeguarding.”

Mrs Dixon said: “The actual inspection was quite a pleasant experience. The timing was a bit tricky but it was lovely coming back to school knowing it was over with.”