PUPILS of a Rossendale primary school have been told by a government inspector that he cannot think of how they can improve "because you're brilliant already".

The Osted inspector's letter to the pupils of Holy Trinity Stacksteads concludes a glowing report for the school which was judged "outstanding" in almost every area.

The Booth Road school was one of only nine per cent of schools in the country to get the top grade out of more than 4,000 inspected.

In the letter the inspector wrote: "One of the jobs I have to do when I inspect schools like yours is to see if there are any things which could make your school even better.

"Of course I couldn't think of anything you need to do because"

Headteacher John Aspin said he was delighted with the report and the letter.

He said: "It's recognition of what the school has achieved in the six years since the last inspection, and that the staff continue to seek to improve to do the best we can for the children.

"The inspector takes into account all aspects of the school, not just tests results and league tables, so this is recognition for absolutely everybody who works here.

"We are proud of what we have achieved. The challenge now is to maintain that standard, but I am confident we can continue to do so."

Following the inspection by Ofsted, the official's report said: "The school is proud of the standards reached, and rightly so. However, they would not be so commendable but for the lively, stimulating and well matched work provided by the highly professional and skilled staff team, and the pupils' healthy attitudes to learning and desire to do well.

"They are eager to learn, behave very well indeed, and quickly become independent and self-confident. The school is constantly striving to find ways of doing things better; for example, introducing a refined and effective assessment system, and finding innovative ways of enriching the curriculum."

The report credits the "very effective and dynamic leadership and management of the head teacher"

It states: "Parents are full of praise for the school and feel their children are secure, well-taught."