A VILLAGE school in the throes of major building work as it prepares to become a primary school has received a satisfactory Ofsted report.

Blakedown CE First School, which, next September, reopens as a primary, was visited by inspectors in March as major work to create two new classrooms, design and technology and music rooms and a new staff room was under way.

The resulting inspection report, which acknowledged the school was in a "period of transition", concluded it provided a "reasonably effective education and satisfactory value for money".

By Year Five, pupils reached above average standards and the quality of teaching and learning was generally good, said the report.

The school was not as effective as it was at the last inspection in 1998, the inspectors said.

Head teacher, Hilary Pritchard, who was praised in the report for showing "sound leadership under difficult circumstances", said the major changes under way at the school may have affected the inspection presentations.

"It has been a really difficult year but the future is very promising. We will reopen as a primary in September as part of the Hagley pyramid of schools. The new classrooms will provide appropriate accommodation for pupils at Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.

"I'm delighted the report highlights that pupils and parents have very positive views of Blakedown School. This is because teaching and learning is good and pupils are expected to work hard.

"We recognise we now need to improve standards in writing and further develop the curriculum for children of reception age. This will be detailed in our school development plan."

The school's main strengths included above average standards in science, speaking, reading and listening in Year Five. The quality of teaching and learning was generally good, particularly in maths, science, design and technology and in planning work for pupils of different abilities.

The range of extra-curricular activities was good, particularly given the small size of the school, and pupils were well taken care of. They got involved well in the school council and Eco group.

Parents had very positive views of the school and the education provided and teachers were very accessible, the report added.

The school needs to improve, however, the way it used marking in English and encouraged writing, to ensure the reception class curriculum provided planned opportunities for them to explore, investigate and be creative and to ensure the standards expected of each child and how to measure attainment were explicit.