Devon County Council

From Outstanding, Exeter 382594, November 19, 2008

1

TWENTY THREE outstanding Devon schools have been highlighted today as national high achievers.

They have been spotlighted by the schools standards agency, Ofsted, for their outstanding success in inspections over the past year.

There are 19 primary schools, three secondaries and a special school on the list - twice as many as last year.

The primaries are Appledore, Broadclyst, Chudleigh, Decoy and Denbury in Newton Abbot, Georgeham, Hennock, Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery, Ladysmith Infant in Exeter, Landscove, Marwood in Barnstaple, Modbury, Mrs Ethelston's in Uplyme, Newport in Barnstaple, Newton St Cyres, St Giles-on-the-Heath, Stockland, Stoke Fleming and Thurlestone.

The secondaries are Colyton Grammar, Kingsbridge Community College and Uffculme School while the special school is Ellen Tinkham in Exeter.

Ofsted says these Devon County Council schools have all been judged to be outstanding in inspections carried out in 2007/2008.

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Christine Gilbert, said two thirds of all maintained schools inspected this year had been judged good or outstanding.

She added: "As in previous years, we shall be recognising and celebrating those providers of education whose work

is of the highest quality."

Devon's Executive Councillors for Children and Young People's Services, John Smith, today paid tribute to the schools for their performance.

"I want to congratulate the headteachers and all their staff for this accolade as well as the pupils who have achieved so well thanks to their teachers' guidance and support," he said.

"These schools, and the hundreds of other schools right across Devon which do such a fine job day in and day out, are achieving such good results despite not being funded anywhere near the national average.

"Devon is 146^th out of 149 local authorities for the funding we receive from the Government per pupil.

"Higher than average results with lower than average resources surely proves the quality of education we can offer in all our schools in Devon.

"But today I am particularly pleased to congratulate these high performing schools and their staff and pupils."

NOTE TO NEWS EDS: For more information contact John Smith on 01626 772223.