OAKRIDGE Parochial School head teacher Lisa Austin is celebrating after receiving a glowing Ofsted report in only her first year in the job.

Inspectors who visited the small Oakridge Lynch school in October praised the progress it had made since their last visit in 1999.

The report said the 45 pupils there benefited from 'outstanding care and concern' and made good progress due to high teaching standards.

Inspectors said: "The school looks after its pupils very well and helps them become thoughtful, helpful young citizens.

"The curriculum is broad and relevant and is enriched by visits and visitors and by good links with the local community."

Head teacher Lisa Austin, who was only appointed to the role permanently in April, was also praised.

"The new head has had a very positive effect on the school's development and this is the main reason for the significant improvements made over the past year," said the report.

"Her leadership and management are good and in some respects outstanding and the school now has very good capacity for further improvement."

Mrs Austin thanked hard-working colleagues.

"It really is a reflection of the hard work all the staff have put in over the last year," she said.

"It was quite a bit of pressure to have an inspection in my first year but we were expecting them to come and saw it as a challenge.

"I'm particularly pleased with the comments made about the quality of teaching and learning.

"It's also good they picked up on the fact parents see the school as an extended family because that is the atmosphere we try to create here."