A FRIENDLY Portland school has been given top marks by government inspectors.

Brackenbury Infant School was judged to be 'good school with outstanding features' in its latest Ofsted report.

In almost every section the Three Yards Close school was judged as outstanding or good.

The inspector writes: "Children's personal development and well being is outstanding. Overall behaviour is outstanding, particularly in lessons.

"The teachers know that respect for children is the key to their willingness to persevere.

"The good leadership and management stems from a strong and caring headteacher who leads the staff team very successfully and responds to the children well.

"Children's achievement is good given their starting points and capabilities. They make good progress through the school but overall standards are below average because half have learning difficulties and disabilities and some are not good at attending or come late making it difficult to catch up."

But it's not just the inspector who applauds the school.

The report reads: "Parents bringing children to school have considerable praise for the school and its approachable staff. Typical of parents comments were two that said, 'The atmosphere is friendly and helpful and aimed at meeting each child's needs' and simply, 'They can't wait to get there.'"

The only areas of the report showing the school not to be good or outstanding are the standards reached by pupils, judged to be inadequate, and the attendance of pupils - judged satisfactory.

Headteacher Zoe Green said she was please the inspector commended the school for its before and after school care.

She said: "The wrap around care was praised for providing an exciting and enticing range of activities in the before and after school clubs, such as making pumpkin faces, building dens, street dancing and constructing a 3D dragon."

Chairman of governors Wayne Day said: "Work has already started on improvements which were suggestedfor the nursery."