EDUCATION watchdogs delivered a Christmas present to a North-East infant school, in the form of an official pat on the back.

Teachers and other staff at Oakfield Infants, in Low Fell, Gateshead, earned the praise of inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education following an appraisal earlier in the year.

The inspectors said Oakfield was, "a good school, with several very good features", and praised the "high standards" achieved by pupils in reading, writing and mathematics.

Pupils' achievements in National Curriculum tests were described as high in reading, and well above average in writing and maths.

These results put Oakfield in the top five per cent of schools nationally, in the reading category, in 1999.

This reflects a general trend in rising standards at the school on a year-by-year basis, since 1996.

Inspectors also endorsed the work of the staff at Oakfield, referring to the close working relationship between staff and governors.

Acting headteacher Janet Jacques put the good report down to the school's "great team spirit", but she also praised the "forward thinking" of her predecessors.

"The school was last inspected in 1996, and although no key issues were identified at that time, the governors, headteacher and staff decided to further build on the successes of the school."

She said a four-part action plan laid down after that inspection, had been followed successfully, helping Oakfield to achieve its latest good report