A FAMILY approach to education has won Selside Endowed Primary School an ‘outstanding’ grade from inspectors.

It is the first time the 64-pupil rural primary school has been awarded the top mark – and Ofsted’s team praised staff for putting pupil care at the heart of their work.

Celebrating the news this week, head teacher Carrone Field said: “We firmly believe children thrive in a small-scale setting, where they are part of a caring, extended ‘family’, and each child is an important part of the whole school.”

This was supported by inspector Ann Ashdown, who wrote in her report that all pupils received personal help when they needed it and showed great kindness and respect for each other.

Mrs Ashdown’s report said: “The promotion of independent learning and thinking skills, making work entirely relevant to the pupils, and learning through the outdoors are all facets of the school’s work which contribute to its distinctive ethos and outstanding success.”

She also praised the schools’ innovative and skillfully designed curriculum for providing pupils with a huge range of stimulating experiences.

Mrs Field and her four teaching staff were described as ‘talented’ and ‘adept’ and were praised for raising the school from a good to outstanding grade since its last inspection in 2007.

A parent survey carried out by the inspection team also found that parents were ‘fulsome in their praise of the way in which the school is led’ and ‘inspiring teaching’.

Mrs Field added: “We are passionate about what we do at Selside School and have worked incredibly hard to create a very special and unique environment for children to grow up in, where lessons both within and beyond the classroom are filled with exciting challenges.”

Chair of governers Janice Waine said: “My congratulations go to Mrs Field, our head teacher, for her vision and leadership and our dedicated staff. It is above all a team effort and the success of the school reflects the support, commitment and enthusiasm of everyone involved in our school community.”

Since Mrs Field joined the school she has expanded its facilities from a one classroom Victorian school house with just 20 pupils to a thriving primary with new rooms, sports field and outdoor classroom..