A PRIMARY school ‘at the heart of the community’ is delighted with its latest ‘Good’ Ofsted rating.

Inspectors visited Antrobus St Mark’s CE Primary School in January and the school, which has 59 pupils, said it was ‘extremely proud’.

The report reads: “Antrobus St Mark’s is a school at the heart of the community.

“Pupils rush to school each morning. They love the time they spend there.

“They feel safe because of the close relationships that they form with the supportive staff.

“Pupils said that the best thing about their school is how welcoming and friendly everyone is.

“Pupils typically commented: 'We are a small school, and all close friends'.”

Lucy Wainwright, headteacher, said: “The staff and I feel so proud of this wonderful school and we are really pleased that the report has captured the family ethos, strong teaching and learning and community support that is so integral to our school.

“A huge thank you to the wonderful staff of Antrobus St Mark's School who work so hard to care for every child and to help them to flourish.

“On behalf of the staff and children, I would also like to thank the governors of the school who work so hard to support and lead the school in a strategic direction.

“Congratulations to the wonderful children themselves – their excellent behaviour and attitudes to learning really shone through.

“The care that the children have for each other and the way that the children from different ages all learn and play together is such a strength of this special school.”

Looking back on how the school has coped during a difficult few years in the midst of Covid, Rhian Perry, deputy headteacher, added: “As a small school, we weren’t fully affected – we’ve been really lucky with it.

“Even when schools were shut, 50 per cent of the pupils were still in school because of parents being key workers so it was still very much business as usual.

“Half were in school in person and half were accessing the full curriculum at home.

“Everyone managed really well.”

To find out more about the school, visit antrobusandbudworthceprimaryschools.co.uk/page/antrobus-st-marks/111857 or find it on Facebook and Twitter.