A primary school in Oldham is 'extremely proud' after it has received a glowing report by the education watchdog.

Limehurst Community Primary School on White Bank Road teaches children between the ages of three to 11 and has historically been a 'good' school since its first graded inspection in 2006.

Checking up on the premises in an ungraded inspection in March this year, Ofsted inspector Clare Baron had plenty of praise for the school in her report published this month.

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Ms Baron said pupils "start each day with broad smiles" and are "happy", "nurtured" and "well cared for" by staff whom the youngsters trust "implicitly". 

The curriculum was a highlight in the report as the inspector said it is "well thought out" and "rich" in the way it ensures pupils develop their knowledge across all subjects, particularly in communication, language, reading and phonics.

The inspector said this focus is helping most pupils to become competent readers.

Ofsted further said the school has a "relentless focus" for pupils to achieve well and a "considerably strengthened" curriculum which prepares them for the demands of secondary school.

As for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, Limehurst identifies their additional needs "at the earliest opportunity" and ensures the pupils are involved in all areas of school life.

Beyond the curriculum, the students also benefit from a wide range of experiences and speak "enthusiastically" about the school's clubs.

The primary itself is a "welcoming place" and "very calm" with students behaving well in lessons and eager to contribute to discussions about their learning.

As a result, the youngsters are also respectful towards each other and staff, understanding differences and the importance of accepting others for their individual characteristics.

They have positive attitudes to learning and any "occasional low-level disruption" is "not tolerated" and is dealt with immediately by staff.

Ms Baron added: "They expressed their understanding of the importance of equality and diversity with maturity."

However, the inspector found some students' learning is hindered as, "sometimes", teachers fail to identify any misconceptions in their learning, which means teachers introduce new concepts before pupils are ready.

In addition, she noted some pupils fail to attend school as regularly as they should but that the school is "diligent" in "analysing patterns and trends" and has been working closely with families to improve attendance.

Meanwhile, staff morale "is high" at Limehurst as they appreciate that the school and governing body is mindful of their wellbeing and workload.

To hike up from the 'good' grade, Ms Baron advised the school to ensure teachers are suitably equipped to check pupils' knowledge is secure before introducing new content.

Mark Roberts, head teacher at Limehurst Community Primary School, said in reaction to the report: "We would like to thank all our staff, pupils, their families, and the whole school community for helping make Limehurst an amazing place for children to start their educational journey.

"The report also gives us even more reasons to be extremely proud of our pupils.

"The report states that our children are happy and well cared for by staff.

"The children start each school day with broad smiles and that they feel safe and nurtured.

"They trust staff implicitly.

"We know the hard work does not stop here though.

"Our journey is one of continual improvement and so we will strive to push ourselves to develop our school and ensure we offer a positive, safe, and successful learning experience for all pupils.

"I have no doubt that we will achieve our ultimate aim of being an outstanding school in the near future."

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