LAVINGTON School has received top marks from school inspectors. The 688-pupil secondary school in Market Lavington was visited by inspectors from Ofsted last November and their report has just been published.

It states that, since the previous inspection in 1998, the school has improved considerably.

The Ofsted report says: "The school's improvement since the last inspection has been very good.

"Standards have risen a great deal in nearly all subjects and teaching has improved.

"By the time pupils leave the school they have done much better than others in similar schools.

"This is partly because of the quality of teaching, which is very good for the oldest pupils and good for the younger ones.

"But it is also because of the way the school works hard to establish very good attitudes to learning in all year groups.

"This means that pupils and teachers are working together to make standards as high as possible."

For the past three years the schools results in GCSE and GNVQ exams have been well above average.

Although 2003 GCSE results were slightly down on 2002, figures for the best eight grades for each pupils are still well above average nationally and are in the top five per cent of similar schools.

A total of 99 per cent of pupils gained five GCSEs, which places the school in the top five per cent of schools in the country.

The Ofsted inspectors said the quality of teaching is good.

"Teachers constantly challenge pupils to reach high standards and as a result the pupils expect this of themselves," said the report.

"The best lessons are particularly lively and stimulating, with pupils responding with total concentration."

"Most pupils are pleased with the school. They feel it is a good school to be at and that they are expected to work hard.

"Parents have very positive views of the school."

Headteacher Martin Watson, who was previously deputy head at Sheldon School, Chippenham, is praised for his "very good leadership".