Susanna Wilkey YOUNGSTERS and staff at a Kentish Town primary are thrilled their school has been deemed outstanding for the second time. Torriano Junior School on Torriano Avenue received the outstanding Ofsted rating for leadership and teaching, positive

Susanna Wilkey

YOUNGSTERS and staff at a Kentish Town primary are thrilled their school has been deemed outstanding for the second time.

Torriano Junior School on Torriano Avenue received the outstanding Ofsted rating for leadership and teaching, positive attitudes and behaviour and overwhelmingly supportive parents.

The report said: "This outstanding school ensures that pupils make excellent progress in their all-round development.

"The inspirational headteacher provides a very clear and ambitious vision for the school that focuses on enabling all pupils to reach their potential. Staff, governors and pupils share this drive to achieve excellence."

Earlier this year, the governors of the school won a national governance award for their work. Chairman of the governors Luca Salice said: "We are absolutely delighted.

"It is the second outstanding rating we have had and it shows what a good school we are.

"I am personally pleased with the comments and particularly happy with the fact that the report said we have improved a lot since the last Ofsted when we were rated outstanding.

"It was a huge improvement and shows that we are not resting on our laurels but working very hard.

"I am very proud of the whole staff and all the children and my fellow governors - we are all over the moon.

"One issue they found was about attendance and we will have to make a big effort to make sure that pupils, and especially the small number of persistent poor attendees, improve their attendance to be even better by the next Ofsted."

Inspectors found staff hold pupils in the highest regard and do all they can to ensure they learn in a safe, stimulating and supportive environment.

They also said the school's innovative approach to planning the curriculum typifies the way that staff strive to provide interesting and exciting work.

Headteacher Bavaani Nanthabalan, who has led the school for the past five years, said: "We are thrilled about the Ofsted report.

"A lot of good things have happened for the school in quick succession including this fantastic report and the governors winning the national award.

"I am really proud of the school and the pupils.

"The fact that the report says the quality of teaching is excellent is something we are very pleased with.

"The inspector also found that the parents have been very supportive of the school and given lots of help which is fantastic.

"This is a real validation of our work to get the outstanding rating again and to be recognised for the good work that we do across the board in terms of exciting curriculum for the pupils and care for them and the high expectations that we have of our pupils and ourselves.

"The governors play a crucial role in ensuring that standards are kept high and that we engage the children in creative ways."

The school was rated outstanding in every aspect except the standards reached by learners and the attendance of learners for which it was rated good.