TEAMWORK and determination has won high praise for an East Cornwall primary school.

Education secretary Charles Clarke said Calstock Primary had ?achieved high standards against the odds? ? one of only 415 first, primary and secondary schools in the UK to be honoured in such a way.

The praise came during the unveiling in Westminster of the annual report by Ofsted ? Office for Standards in Education.

Adding to Mr Clarke?s praise the Chief Inspector of Schools David Bell spoke of Calstock Primary?s ?absolutely excellent achievements? and described the school as ?outstanding?.

The accolade comes as a great boost to the 70-pupil school which was put on ?special measures? to improve standards following a full Ofsted report in 1998.

Jo Shelton, who became headteacher at Calstock in October 2000, said: ?While the school was under special measures the staff found it very hard ? it was horrible ? but it did make us all the more determined to succeed?.

The school resumed normal status after a second full inspection in February 2001 and the staff have since worked tirelessly to improve it even further.

A further full Ofsted inspection in March 2003 resulted in commendations for the school?s tremendous improvement and was followed by fantastic results in national SATs tests.

Mrs Shelton is keen to emphasise that the turnaround comes only as a result of whole school involvement: ?We don?t take a ?top-down? approach at Calstock, it?s a very cohesive environment and everybody has worked as a team to get us to this point.?

The school is a leading example of the community approach to teaching ? there are only nine members of staff at the school but they are assisted on a regular basis by parent-helpers.

Mrs Shelton said that without them ?we would not be in the position we are today?.