A CHURCH of England school is delighted to be one of the only schools in the county to be rated excellent in a recent inspection under new ruling.

Holm Cultram Abbey C of E school were inspected under statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) in November.

The framework was recently changed meaning the school - to their knowledge - is only the second in Cumbria to achieve this outcome.

Jemma Nicholson, headteacher at the school, said: “I am delighted with our recent SIAMS inspection outcome and incredibly proud to be headteacher of this wonderful church school.

“Holm Cultram Abbey is at the heart of the community and the children take great joy and pride in serving their parish and surrounding area.”

Some of the key findings from the report include, “excellent teamwork between the headteacher and Methodist minister has resulted in rich planning for collective worship which ensures that pupils develop a particularly deep understanding of the Bible and its relevance for their everyday lives.”

The pupils approach to religious education with curiosity and excitement was also noted highly in the report.

“We see ourselves as a family at Holm Cultram Abbey,” continued Mrs Nicholson.

“School is like a second home to us and we are passionate about enabling all children and adults to flourish in their own special and unique way.

“The pupils’ views are highly valued and we have three pupil led groups to ensure the children have a clear voice in the running of the school and an opportunity to carry the school Christian vision forward.”

In the report the inspector wrote: “Inspirational leadership has led to rapid progress in the last two years. Together with governors, the headteacher has strengthened an earlier vision of ‘listen, learn, love, laugh’ and ensured that the school’s Christian foundation is now unmistakeable. Her passion for Church school education is undeniable and infectious.”