St James’ Junior School in Barrow was celebrating in 2008 after receiving top marks from inspectors.

Ofsted said the school ‘oozes a sense of joy and celebration’.

A report by lead inspector Alastair Young said: “This is a good, buoyant school which has many areas of excellence.”

The school at Blake Street was judged as outstanding in the areas of personal development and well-being; leadership and management; care, guidance and support and curriculum and other activities.

It was rated as good in its overall effectiveness; achievement and standards and teaching and learning.

The report said: “Pride and potential are keys to its ethos.”

Staff were praised for creating ‘a wonderful learning environment’ and pupils for their outstanding behaviour.

Ofsted said pupils loved attending school and left each day ‘fulfilled and bursting with enthusiasm about their achievements’.

The report said staff and pupils contributed exceptionally well to creating a very strong sense of community extending well beyond the school.

Headteacher Angela Rawlinson said: “I’m really pleased for the children, staff, parents and governors because it was an excellent report.

“It’s all down to teamwork and that comes through in the report.”

In 1993, youngsters from St James’ Junior School donned hard hats and toured a construction site in Barrow for the latest stage in their national curriculum work.

Third and fourth year children visited the Wainhomes’ Meadowlands development on Rating Lane as part of the school’s class work on homes and habitat.

During the morning they were shown around the building site by construction director Bob Wilcox and site manager Ian Wilson and were later given a tour of the finished product - three new showhomes - by sales negotiator Anne Webber.

The children also heard a talk about the dangers of playing on a construction site. They were invited to join the company’s Play Safe Club and to take part in a colouring competition about their visit.