A GOVERNMENT minister has praised a Winchester primary school for its continued “drive towards high standards of educational achievement”.

Minister of State for schools, David Laws, wrote to Owslebury Primary School offering his personal congratulations for its Key Stage 2 results for 2014.

The children’s results put the school in the top one per cent of primary schools nationally.

Deputy headteacher Natalie White said: “Being one of the top 100 schools in the country is superb recognition and is what makes Owslebury Primary School the hidden gem that we know it to be.”

Community governor, Fiona Aubrey-Smith, said: “Whilst many people living in and travelling through Owslebury may not even be aware of where the school is, we are lucky enough to have one of the highest performing primary schools in the country in our own village!”

The school was listed in the top 100 performing schools, based on its sustained improvements at level 4 and above in reading, writing and mathematics from 2012-14.

Ms White added: “As a team we work collaboratively to ensure that all children are encouraged to succeed and achieve their personal best.”

She added that the school was also 18th in the ‘Small School Sunday Times’ league table for the country, and top small primary school in Hampshire.