A village primary school has been praised for the quality of its teaching by Government inspectors.

Staff at Brize Norton Primary School, near Carterton, welcomed the findings of the report by the education watchdog Ofsted -- the Office for Standards in Education.

Inspectors described the 76-pupil school as very effective and highlighted the "strong and sensitive" leadership of headteacher Andrea Moss and the behaviour of pupils.

Inspector Paul Bamber said the school had made great improvements since its last inspection in 1997.

He praised improvements made to teaching, pupils' behaviour and attitudes, and the standards achieved by Year Six pupils, particularly in writing.

He said: "Brize Norton is a very effective school. There are excellent relationships within the school.

"Pupils achieve well and have very good attitudes, and behave very maturely.

"The quality of teaching is good and the school is well managed. The quality of teaching contributes significantly to the high standards pupils achieve by the time they leave the school and to the good progress they make.

"All teachers and support staff work in harmony to create a warm and friendly atmosphere in which pupils can learn.

"The school's partnership with parents is excellent. Parents think very highly of the school and contribute significantly to their children's learning. The school provides good value for money."

The Ofsted report also praised the school for its range of after-school activities -- including its gard- ening club, which helps maintain the school's well-kept garden.

However, Mr Bamber called for improvements in the teaching of writing for more able Year Two pupils, and more detailed lesson plans for infant classes, to ensure "rigorous" learning.

Mrs Moss said: "I am delighted with the success of the school. It reflects the hard work and dedication of the staff, the support from parents and the enthusiasm of the pupils."

Governors' chairman Jackie Bellinger said: "The governors are pleased the inspection team recognised the high standards achieved throughout the school."