A VILLAGE primary school near Hereford has been widely praised by inspectors, saying it's like "one big, happy family".

Ofsted left St Mary's CE Primary School in Credenhill with a good rating, adding there was a "distinct sense of community spirit".

Inspectors said in their report, published in January, that staff encourage pupils to develop a strong sense of morals, and children learn to be good citizens and respect each other.

"Pupils are polite, thoughtful and courteous," the report said, with inspectors visiting the school on two days in November.

"Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils feel safe at school and say there is always someone to turn to if they are worried or upset.

"Pupils say that there is no bullying, and, if there was, adults would deal with it quickly."

"Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). All pupils can take part in the many activities provided.

"Pupils take on leadership responsibilities, such as sports captains, milk monitors and playground pals. This supports their personal development."

Lead inspector Lynda Townsend also said the executive headteacher Bernadette Davies led the school well with her deputy, ably support by staff, and they are aware of the impact of the Covid pandemic and lost learning. They have supported pupils and their families, she said.

Ms Townsend also said that the curriculum was rich and pupils were inspired to achieve their best.

But she said some subject leaders were new to their roles, meaning they did not have the knowledge or expertise to monitor curriculum plans effectively or to provide training for their colleagues, limiting pupil progress.

A spokesperson for the school said: "We have always been extremely proud of our school, and over the past five years everyone connected with St Mary’s has worked extremely hard. We are delighted that this hard work has been recognised by Ofsted."

They added: "We are now looking forward to building on this success, and we are sure that with the continued support from our community our school will go from strength to strength."

Children's learning was checked effectively in some subjects, and reading was one of the school's top priorities with teachers sharing their enjoyment of books.

Ms Townsend praised pupils' behaviour, saying: "Pupils behave well and enjoy their learning. Classrooms are calm and purposeful with little disruption.

"Around school, pupils conduct themselves impeccably. They are considerate of each other and show respect towards staff."

Safeguarding at the school, which has 157 pupils, was effective, the report said, with leaders making sure that staff are well trained and can spot pupils who may be at risk of harm, and how to report it.