A WEST Devon primary was singled out last week along with eight other schools in the county for praise in the annual report of the Chief Inspector of Schools David Bell.

The OFSTED ? Office For Standards in Education ? annual report highlighted the achievements of a number of schools described as ?outstanding? including the 120-pupil Winkleigh School.

Headteacher Jane Rivans arrived at the school two years ago and was noted as the key factor in helping staff and pupils to work together in improving the school.

Mrs Rivans said everyone at the school had been ?delighted? that the inspectors recognised Winkleigh was a thriving community school working hard to raise standards of achievement.

Mrs Rivans said: ?Getting the ethos right is important. It has been very much achieved by working together with the whole community.?

Mrs Rivans cited some examples where links had been developed between the school and the community.

?We worked on a local business initiative where the older children went and asked questions. We are running parent learning/children learning courses for ICT use in our classroom of the future, and we are developing the school grounds with a community garden day.?

Mrs Rivans added: ?Obviously, we are still working hard to improve further.?

The school had been designated as requiring special measures in September 2001. Since then there has been investment in new facilities and a series of community linked projects helping to turn around the school?s fortunes.

OFSTED inspectors removed the special measures at the school after just 13 months, around six months quicker than usual, following what they described as a ?remarkable? turnaround.