A BLACKBURN school has won the approval of government inspectors who credit it for "preparing pupils for later life".

Cedars Infant School, Hawthorn Street was graded "good" the second highest grade following a two day visit by Ofsted at the end of last month.

And the inspectors said the 273 pupils on roll were getting a good start in life under the leadership of head Liz Beaumont and her team.

The report states: "Cedars Infants judges itself a good school and the inspectors agree.

"It provides good value for money and prepares pupils very well for their next stages in education and life.

"The curriculum is rich in practical experiences and gives pupils a solid and broad foundation for later learning."

Other areas highlighted by the inspectors include the school's "strong teamwork, very good links with the community and a nurturing environment in which pupils flourish."

The officials concluded that pupils at the school "develop as confident and independent learners, making good progress in mathematics and reading."

The report, however, detailed areas where the inspectors considered improvement is needed.

These include the progress made in writing and opportunities for children to practise their writing skills in other subjects.

The report also commented that there should be better advice to help the children improve their work in mathematics.