A school which is at ‘the heart of the community’ has kept its good rating from Ofsted.

St Thomas’ CE Primary School in Newton Street, Blackburn, was inspected in February, with the report being published by Ofsted earlier this week.

Inspectors said pupils thrived in the “welcoming” school and that they felt safe and happy.

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The report said: “Pupils behave well. They live out the school values, such as showing respect and kindness, in the way that they play and talk with each other.

“Examples of this are helping someone who may have fallen over in the playground or talking to peers who might feel lonely.

“Pupils learn to be valuable and responsible members of the school community. They enjoy the wide range of experiences that staff organise to bring the curriculum alive.

"These include trips to museums and the theatre and residential trips to London and France.”

Inspectors also said the school had designed a thoughtful curriculum which considered the needs of all pupils, including those who arrive speaking limited English.

Reading was also said to be of “central importance” at the school, with staff using good-quality texts which are linked to themes and topics to bring learning to life.

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities was considered to be good, with their needs accurately identified which helped them to build confidence and self-esteem.

However, inspectors did note too many pupils were persistently absent from school.

They said: “As a result, they miss important learning and do not achieve as well as they could.

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“The school should strengthen strategies to improve pupils’ attendance.”

The school’s last full inspection was in 2013 when it was rated good, and this was retained during a short inspection in April 2018.

Since that short inspection, there have been significant changes in the school’s leadership team, including a new headteacher, deputy headteacher, and assistant headteacher.