A DARTMOOR primary school has made significant improvements during the last five years and is set to continue with this success, according to a recent Ofsted inspection.

Chagford Primary School was visited by inspectors in October, just after a new headteacher had joined the 173-pupil school.

The report stated Chagford Primary was a good school, where pupils had ?very positive? attitudes and achieved well in most subjects, because they were expected to work hard.

The inspectors said: ?Teaching is good throughout the school and some is very good and excellent ? none is unsatisfactory.

?The staff are skilled, work closely together and are ably led by the new headteacher and deputy.?

The inspectors found there had been good progress in addressing issues identified during the last Ofsted inspection in 1997.

?The school is well placed to improve further,? they said.

The report found standards for children at age seven had risen for several years and were generally well above national average in reading, writing and mathematics.

?The provision for pupils in the foundation stage is very good and a strength of the school,? the report stated.

?Pupils? standards by the age of 11 have been well above the national average, particularly in English, for some years.?

The results of SATS tests this year had fallen at the school, but inspectors said this was as a result of an untypical year group which was considerably smaller and with a high proportion of children with special educational needs.

The report said generally, standards were above average in maths, English and science by the time children reached the age of 11.

The inspectors found pupils? attitudes ?very good? and said they behaved well both in and out of the classroom.

The quality and range of the curriculum at the school was good and enriched by very good use of the wider community, clubs and visits.

The report stated that the new headteacher, Christopher Long, had made a good start at the school and was well supported by his deputy, giving clear direction and leadership.

The report did highlight some areas for improvement at the school.

The inspectors said although ICT provision had improved, there were still some gaps. In addition, new arrangements for monitoring and reviewing teaching and reorganisation of the school development plan had yet to be implemented.

Headteacher Mr Long said going through an Ofsted inspection after his first month at Chagford had been a ?baptism of fire? but said he was very pleased with the outcome.

Mr Long said: ?This is a very pleasing report and the findings are testament to the hard work and commitment of the whole school community and in particular, the previous headteacher, Graham Reynolds.

?The school now faces a positive and challenging future with opportunities to build on its already high standards.?