To the manners born ...

A SCHOOL has been praised by Ofsted for the behaviour of its children, its teaching and leadership.

St Mary's CoE School, in Wintringham Road, St Neots, was also complimented for the way it integrates members of the travelling community into the school.

Headteacher Mary Barnard was described as being "tireless in her efforts to help pupils achieve their best".

Mrs Barnard said: "We are delighted with what was a very good report. We have moved on as a school and have focused on giving children a broader curriculum.

"The inspection was carried out at a time when staff and pupils were tired at the end of a long term but the behaviour of the children was excellent."

Teaching at all stages was described as good by inspectors, though the report recommended lessons at foundation stage (ages 3-5) should be less formal.

Children at the school with learning difficulties are being well taught and are achieving well, the report said.

Bullying at the school was said to be virtually non-existent, while the 'vast majority' of pupil behaviour was described as exemplary.

Inspectors said that the school, which has 204 pupils aged from 3 to 11, has taken special steps to integrate children from the travelling community.

Measures include a club to enable children from the travelling community access to computers and a parent from the community working within the school.

Mrs Barnard said: "Some of the traveller families are now in the second or third generation at the school and they are extremely well-integrated into the community."

The headteacher, who has been at the school for seven years, was praised for her strong links with parents, and for managing and leading the school well.

Areas for improvement recommended were to raise standards in speaking and writing and partially to reorganise the management structure.