STAFF and students at the Cotswold School could be forgiven for putting their feet up after the school received top marks from Government inspectors.

The Ofsted report received by the school in Bourton this week was so good that the inspectors couldn't find any major issues for the staff to work on to improve the school.

Headteacher Anne Holland said: "Everybody is ecstatic. It is really, really pleasing and we are all chuffed."

The team of inspectors spent four days looking at the school and sitting in on lessons before Christmas but their report has only just been published.

Mrs Holland said: "I think we knew we were going to get a good one but we weren't sure quite how high up we could go."

She said she believed the school's good exam results last summer had helped to boost staff before the inspector's visit and once there the men from the ministry found that every lesson they inspected ranked as satisfactory or better with 80% classed as good, very good or excellent.

Mrs Holland said: "I think the atmosphere in school is of a group of people working together with the pupils.

" Our results were so good last summer that it has lifted us into this category that only a tiny few schools get into."

The inspectors' verdict was that the school had improved impressively since its last inspection five years ago and they added that "the vision, leadership and management of the school has clearly made commitment and success a day-to-day reality".

They praised the school's academic success and its sixth-form, which now takes 70% of the pupils once they reach the age of 16. Parents are given regular feedback about pupils, said the inspectors, who also interviewed several parents who came out with a glowing verdict.

Pupils too were praised for their hard work and good behaviour, which the inspectors described as "outstanding".