IT has been a first-class start to the new academic year at Lympstone Primary School. That is the view of headteacher, Tony Priest, who has heaped praise on his pupils, both in terms of their attitude and the standards of work being produced across the

IT has been a first-class start to the new academic year at Lympstone Primary School.

That is the view of headteacher, Tony Priest, who has heaped praise on his pupils, both in terms of their attitude and the standards of work being produced across the curriculum so far this term.

Mr Priest, who said there were a record number of pupils at the school this year, explained: "We have a lovely group of young people.

"We are hoping to build on the positive successes of last year both in terms of academic results and reports from our church and Ofsted inspections."

A number of children from the school took part in the village church's 600th anniversary celebrations last month.

Mr Priest said: "We have had a very positive response from the role our pupils played.

"We had a group providing a dance which they choreographed themselves.

"They performed that in the Sunday service that also coincided with the celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the Mothers Union."

Mr Priest said the school's choir also performed. "Our choir has a number of boys in it which I'm really pleased to see this year.

"Primary choirs usually have more girls than boys but ours has more of the other way around.

"We also had a contribution from our recorders group who played When the Saints Go Marching In."

Mr Priest said the link between the school and church was strong.

He added: "It is nice to be able to use the church as a venue for many of our assemblies and it adds to the distinctive nature of our school."

Meanwhile, a group of children from Lympstone primary visited the Haven Banks Activity Centre last week where pupils took party in two hour activities including kayaking, raft building and canoeing.