A high-achieving Bath primary school has been graded as "outstanding" by inspectors for the third time.

Pupils and staff and Bathwick St Mary Primary School have cause for celebration after gaining the top level of praise from Ofsted.

The school, which was named as ninth best in the country in a table compiled by The Sunday Times late last year, was inspected in January.

The inspection team praised every aspect of the 224-pupil school.

It scored top marks for overall effectiveness, early years provision, achievement and standards, personal development, and the quality of leadership and management.

Headteacher Kevin Burnett expressed his thanks to everyone involved with the school.

He said: "I am very proud of the whole school community.

"It is only through their effort and their commitment and the mutual support of each other, the staff, governors, parents and children, that we can achieve so much.

"They should all feel justifiably proud."

The report singled out Mr Burnett for particular praise and said the school's success was "largely because of the headteacher's exceptional educational drive and energy".

Parents were pleased with Mr Burnett's leadership and one said: "The headteacher is a source of inspiration. His commitment and enthusiasm towards the running of the school is beyond reproach."

The attitude and behaviour of the children was applauded in the report, as well as the school's "strong moral code" and its "exceptional" academic standards.

Mr Burnett said the school's secret of success was down to all the relevant people working together.

He said: "I think the school performs so well because we all want to do the very best for the children."

Last year, 13 per cent of primary schools were judged to be outstanding in Ofsted inspections.