A SCHOOL has won praise for injecting fun into lessons and boosting children whose educational abilities are considered below average when they arrive.

Ofsted says standards on entry to Leominster Junior School have "fallen significantly" since its last inspection and are now below average.

The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities and those with a statement of special educational needs is above average, the report says.

Against this background, teachers are enthusing children to learn and are boosting levels of achievement.

The school's performance is getting better and better, said lead inspector David Driscoll.

"The children enjoy coming to school, partly because of the many clubs and activities that form part of the good curriculum, but also because teachers make lessons fun," he said.

Pupils were "getting off to a flying start" with languages by learning French and German.

The youngsters were caring, sensible and trustworthy and their behaviour was consistently good.

They loved to help around the school with jobs such as manning telephones at lunchtimes and being a buddy' for children who want to find someone to play with.

Ofsted's verdict on the 345-pupil school was that youngsters were achieving good results and left well prepared for the next stage of their education.

"They arrive with standards that are below average, make good progress and leave with standards that are average," says the report.

Leominster Junior headteacher Rhodri Richards, who was appointed last September, said: "The whole team of people at school are extremely proud of the positive achievements of the children recognised in the report."

He said "this great report" was testimony to the hard work and commitment staff put in on a daily basis.