DALES primary school Cracoe and Rylstone has retained its 'good' rating following an inspection in January by Ofsted inspectors.

Inspectors said the school, which has 42 children on its roll and is part of the Upper Wharfedale Primary Federation, was a 'family-like' school appreciated by both parents and children.

The report states: "Pupils love attending this school. They are happy and feel safe. Parents and pupils alike appreciate the warm and caring environment that exists in this ‘family-like’ school."

Pupils behave well, showing kindness and respect to one another, pupils trust staff with any concerns they may have, and enjoy a range of responsibilities, such as being 'bee and stick insect monitors'.

"Pupils develop their entrepreneurial skills through some of these activities, such as selling the honey and candles from beekeeping. Pupils are proud of their achievements," says the report.

The school has high ambitions for all pupils to achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Leaders are praised for continually developing the curriculum, making use of teachers' subject expertise and resources in the community.

"Pupils regularly benefit from expert teaching in physical education when accessing a wide range of sports facilities at a local secondary school," says the report.

Staff are proud to work at the school, while skilled and experienced governors support and challenge leaders effectively.

The school has carefully considered the important knowledge that it wants pupils to learn from the early years onwards. Children benefit from the well-sequenced curriculum, and absorb themselves in the activities that have been carefully chosen by staff.

In order for the school to do better, the inspectors say the school should ensure that a small number of pupils in the early reading stage are given books that match their phonics ability so that they can catch up with their peers as quickly as possible, and that in a small number of curriculum subjects, teachers do not use their checks on what pupils know and remember well enough to identify gaps in pupils’ learning.

Claire Greenwood and Chris Parkhouse, executive co-headteachers at the Upper Wharfedale Primary Federation, said: "We are proud to share a really positive report which celebrates many of the school's strengths.

"The pride the pupils all have in their school shone through this inspection and our hard working staff at Cracoe and in the wider federation demonstrated real strength throughout the day. We were supported throughout the inspection, as we are every day, by our supportive families and our dedicated governors."