CHILDREN at a Lake District primary school are given “the best possible start in life”, according to a glowing Ofsted report.

"Whole-school outings, scrambling the fells around the school and admiring the beauty of natural puts life's challenges into perspective for both the children and staff," said the inspector after visiting Grasmere CE Primary School just before Christmas.

Head teacher Johanna Goode was praised as “inspirational” and the quality of teaching described as “never less than good and often better”.

Pupils “clearly enjoy coming to school and love learning”, and staff at the Stock Lane school place an emphasis on "strong, caring relationships and a shared zest for life and learning".

In her letter to the school, Ofsted inspector Naomi Taylor said: "You are mindful of the pressures on young people today and the importance of fostering both their mental and physical well-being."

She said one parent "summed up the views of many" in calling Grasmere "an absolute diamond of a school".

Jonathan Smith, the school's business manager, said everyone was "absolutely delighted with the report", which concluded Grasmere "continues to be good" since the last inspection in 2014. It was the "best possible start to 2019", added Mr Smith.

In further findings, the Ofsted inspector said: - Staff provided "exceptional support" for children and their families during "challenging times", such as helping pupils get back into school routines after the "turmoil" caused by December 2015's floods.

- Teachers had a "steely determination" to build pupils' vocabulary and improve their spelling, and a higher-than-average number of children reached expected standards by the end of Key Stage 2.

- Staff "give freely of their time" to organise residential trips, with children being "extremely animated" when describing the "stark contrasts" they had found between city life in London and their rural community.

- Pupils gained first-hand experience of a range of cultures and faiths, and had "deepened their understanding of Judaism" by visiting the National Holocaust Centre and Museum in Nottinghamshire.

- Children who find academic subjects "hard to excel in" are given opportunities in the arts and sports, such as sailing or playing a brass instrument.

The inspector also heaped praise on the behaviour of pupils, saying they showed "a deep level of respect towards each other" and were "a credit" to the school.