STAFF and children at Sunny Bank Primary School are continuing to aim high after a praiseworthy report from inspectors.

A team from watchdog Ofsted visited the school in Hathaway Road, Bury, on February 11 and 12 and gave it a "good" rating — the same grade as it achieved in its 2010 assessment.

Lead inspector Gordon Alston said: "The headteacher Tracy Bevan and the deputy headteacher Martin van Hecke have high ambitions for pupils.

"These are shared by staff and governors, who strive to ensure all pupils achieve as well as they can through good teaching.

"Pupils are making good progress from their starting points.

"The quality of teaching is good and improving as a result of high-quality professional development provided by the school and by external providers.

"The school effectively promotes British values. Tolerance and respect thread through all aspects of pupils' everyday lives."

Mr Alston also praised pupils for their behaviour, their care and consideration for others, and lauded the school for providing children with a rich variety of learning opportunities and governors for challenging staff.

"They have gone out of their way to make sure they have the skills to do this effectively," he added.

To achieve the top grade of 'outstanding' at the next inspection, staff must offer the youngest pupils more opportunities to write.

They must also move pupils onto more challenging tasks when they have accomplished something and ensure marking of work is more consistent.

"Pupils are not always given enough time to put right what marking shows they need to do better," the report said.

Mrs Bevan, who has been headteacher for around two years, welcomed the report.

She said: "We are absolutely thrilled with the outcome of the inspection and it is testament to the hard work of all the teaching staff, who are committed to providing the high level of education that our children deserve.

"The school motto is 'together, we aim high' and that is something we all try to put into practise each and every day here.

"We have taken on board the report’s recommendations and were aware of the need to look at those areas beforehand."