KENDAL’s St Thomas's Primary School has been recognised as one of two Cumbrian schools rated as ‘excellent’ following its yearly review.

The Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) graded the primary school as excellent in all categories of review.

The SIAMS report said: “The school was judged to be good overall when inspected by Ofsted in April 2019. Early years provision and pupils’ personal development was judged to be excellent."

Categories included the effectiveness of the school’s distinctive Christian vision, the impact of collective worship and the effectiveness of religious education. St Thomas's was graded as excellent in all.

The report also described the school as ‘an extremely vibrant place of love and learning’.

The school’s vision reads: “St Thomas's is a safe, welcoming and caring family community where diversity is celebrated, and everyone is respected for being special and unique. We teach children to ‘Believe, Achieve, Succeed’. Believe in yourself to achieve in school and succeed in life. ‘Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their lives.”

The SIAMS report continues: “Leaders have created a fully inclusive, aspirational Christian vision.

"Founded on the school’s well-established Christian values, the vision inspires every aspect of school development.

"It is fully shared across and beyond the school, ensuring that everyone is totally committed to achieving the vision and transforming pupils’ lives."

The school has been praised for being an environment of spiritual and personal learning for students from a variety of backgrounds.

Leadership decisions made by the school have been described as a nurturing and supporting which allows pupils to make the most of their talents.

The inspection findings said “The calm, purposeful atmosphere, immediately felt by visitors, provides a learning environment which fosters collaboration and a strong sense of personal achievement.

"Pupils strive to achieve teachers’ high expectations, recognising their challenge and support.

"All pupils make good, sometimes rapid progress from their starting points. Standards of attainment are generally above those achieved nationally.

"Disadvantaged pupils and those with special needs and/or disabilities are extremely well-supported so all achieve and flourish."