PUPILS and staff at Palace Fields Primary School in Runcorn, are celebrating after receiving a 'good' rating across every category from Ofsted.

Following an inspection by the education watchdog in April, inspectors reported 'the focused and effective leadership of the principal and the new senior leadership team has led to mammoth improvements across the school'.

The lead inspector stated: "The principal and vice-principal are ambitious for the school and its community. Staff and governors share this ambition, as do pupils…the school provides pupils with a good standard of education.”

As part of their evaluations, inspectors also remarked that recent improvements have been made to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics, resulting in pupils’ rapid progress and that parents speak positively about the raft of improvements made.

Parents told inspectors that ‘a genuine feeling of positive change has been injected into the school’.

Paul Holloway, principal at Palace Fields Primary School, said: “While there is so much in the report that I am proud to read, I am most delighted about the comments made about our children.

"The inspectors praised their behaviour, attitudes to learning and noted how friendly and polite they are.

"Everything we do is about providing rich and fulfilling learning experiences for our pupils.

"It is clear that they are benefitting from the hard work that has been put in by all staff over recent years.

"Through a relentless focus on academic standards and a nurturing environment our children are happy, confident and successful citizens of the future."

Jane Ainsworth, chair of governors, added: “This report is testament to the strength of our community and is without doubt one of the proudest moments in the school’s recent history.

“The findings by the inspectors show just what can be achieved if leadership, staff, parents and pupils all work hand-in-hand to support one another.”

Palace Fields Primary School is part of The Heath Family Multi Academy Trust, of which David Donnelly is the CEO.

He said: “The Heath Family is committed to raising standards of achievement and aspirations for all pupils.

“I am delighted that Ofsted have recognised the great strides we have made in transforming standards here and that our school has now been rated as good across every measure.

"Our fantastic team of staff value our children and their families and are providing the quality of education that this community so richly deserves.

“What is most exciting now is the future.

"Looking back over what has been achieved in just a short time, we are all energised about where this school and our pupils will go from here.

"I know there are some big plans, and I look forward to seeing Palace Fields Primary School evolve further.”