A BLANDFORD school has been praised for having a ‘caring ethos’.

Ofsted inspectors visited Milldown CofE Academy in October and their newly-released report rates the school as ‘good’ in all areas – and overall.
“Leaders are ambitious to provide pupils with a broad and exciting curriculum from the time they start in Reception,” inspectors said.
“The curriculum is well planned. It sets out the key knowledge pupils need to know, understand and remember.”
It said story time is an important time of the day, with an emphasis put on reading for youngsters.
But the experience doesn’t end in the classroom, they noted.
“Leaders provide a range of experiences beyond the academic curriculum,” they said. “Hopes and Aspirations Week gives pupils the opportunity to learn about a range of professions.
“Leaders ensure pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.”

Children also learn the ‘importance of respect and tolerance towards other’, the report notes, and that governors ‘know what is working well and what needs to improve’.
“Pupils are polite, courteous and well mannered,” the report added.
“There is a calm and orderly atmosphere in school and on the playground. Pupils enjoy school, feel safe and attend regularly.”
Responding to the report, a spokesperson for the school said: “We strive to create caring, thoughtful and passionate children who are proud of themselves and the communities they live in, and we are pleased that Ofsted recognised this and praised the school and the children for this.
“Our favourite quote from the report has to be this from one of our children: ‘We don’t just want to join the world, we want to make a positive difference to it.’
“This truly lives out our vision of ‘Inspire-Believe-Achieve’.”
To read the report in full, log on to https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50200302.