Staff and pupils at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Bradley Stoke are celebrating an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted report.

The government inspectors rated the school in the highest category during a visit in March.

The report noted that the school has become “a model of good practice in the seven years since it opened”.

The report continues: “One very pleased parent illustrates her daughter’s enjoyment by commenting that she is ‘intensely proud of the school, its achievements and her own achievements to date’.

“Although every aspect of its work is outstanding, it sets such high standards that the whole-school community is committed to continuing to develop and improve.”

Other areas Ofsted singled out for praise included the “outstanding teaching” along with an outstanding curriculum.

• You can read the full report here

The row over Bradley Stoke Community School is rumbling on - again.

More than 250 children were turned away after applying for�just 180 places in the September intake.

Now the Evening Post is reporting the Lib Dems are calling for an expansion of the school.

In February, we reported that the Conservatives were calling for an sixth form expansion.

But as the local council elections loom the Lib Dems have continued the argument saying there should be an increase on the 900 total pupil number.

The Labour and Conservative parties�says this goes against an all-party agreement not to expand because of the threat to neighbouring schools in Patchway and Filton.

Lib Dem Councillor Jon Williams, in a leaflet delivered to residents of the town, says: “It is outrageous that so many local children are being turned down for places at our local school.

“It is meant to be a community school, yet too many children from our community are being forced to go to schools outside Bradley Stoke.”

• For more information read the Evening Post article here

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Children from Bowsland Green Primary School held their own Caribbean carnival, reports the Evening Post.

Teachers Michelle Spratt, Nicola Davies and Amy Jones were the brains behind the idea following a visit to Trinidad in 2006.

Children at the school made jewellery, head dresses, masks and food before holding the parade which went around the school and nearby streets.

• Read the full story here

Vegetation could be cut back and a pavement made wider as part of plans to make walking and biking to Bailey’s Court Primary School safer.

South Gloucestershire Council is carrying out the consultation after the school created a travel plan.

The school identified several areas of concern including pupils crossing the busy Bradley Stoke Way.

The council says it wants to cut vegetation down on the central island of the Great Meadow roundabout to increase visibility and make crossing the road safer.

They also want to install “a 150mm wide area of raised rib white road markings around the central island”.

Also included in the proposal is a plan for a more connected cycle route to the school.

The consultation states: “Although the area around the school is well served by shared cycle/pedestrian routes, these routes do not link with the school.”

The council says it also wants to increase the size of the footpath on Bailey’s Court Road and alter “the position and radius of the Breaches Gate junction with Baileys Court Road”.

Local councillors have launched a campaign for a sixth form to be opened at Bradley Stoke Community School.

Literature was delivered to homes in the town during the week by the Conservative Party saying they want the facility open by 2010.

In it, Cllr Julian Barge says: “We we campaigned to build our school a major factor was that we wanted to develop a sense of community by ending the practice of local children having to go to over five different secondary schools.

“If we don’t achieve a new sixth form this will happen again.”

The Conservatives point out that “every other secondary school in South Gloucestershire has its own sixth form”.

The leaflet includes a petition for the facility.

Bradley Stoke will play host to a five-day Jamie Shore Soccer International Soccer course this coming half-term holiday, reports the Evening Post.

The week-long event, at the community school, will feature a tournament on the final day.

There will be four days before which will see children being able to brush up their skills.

It all starts on Monday, 19 February until Friday, 23 and runs between 9am and 4pm.

It costs �13 a day or �60 for the week for children aged between seven and 12. More from 0845 257777.

Year 7 pupils from Bradley Stoke Community School have been learning about healthy eating.

The Evening Post reports that more than 200 children learned how to make bread rolls and then made fillings for them.

The day ended with a Ready, Steady, Cook-style contest with local cooks Paul Riley, head chef at the Thistle Hotel, and Andy Brooks, head chef at Novotel.

Design technology teacher Julie Haslam told the Post: “The aim of the day was to encourage students to make informed choices about the kind of food they eat and to demonstrate that anyone can cook healthy food if they really want to.

• Full article