SCHOOL is all about the people and reaching out to the local community, according to the Aloeric Primary School head teacher Matthew Nightingale The school in St Michael’s Road, Melksham has 330 pupils. It has grown over recent years from 11 to 13 classes and is due to open another in September.

The head believes the key ingredient to a great school is to have a friendly, open relationship between pupils, teachers and parents.

Mr Nightingale said: “Aloeric is a very friendly and welcoming school, where relationships between staff, pupils and parents are very positive.

“We work hard to make sure that every pupil is happy, well cared for and has the opportunity to receive a dynamic curriculum.

“The relationship with Aloeric starts from when the children are very young. We visit all 12 nurseries that feed into our school and visit all families at home to make sure that we really understand the needs of our newest pupils.”

In its last Ofsted inspection back in January last year Aloeric scored good, moving up from the satisfactory rating it received the year beforehand.

The report said parents had a particularly high opinion of the school and that across the school pupils are making good progress.

Assistant head teacher Nina Jeffries said: “We always involve the parents in the children’s activities. The reason we do it is the learning of the children as the majority of their learning is done at home.

“So we like to engage the parents in a way that is fun and interesting. We do not want parents to feel pressurised so we make it fun. For instance, our Year Fours have been making smoothies with recipes and the parents came in to test them with the children.

“What I am very proud of is when the parents come by they are shown around the school by our Year Sixes and the parents always comment on what a positive, happy place it feels.”

“In the end it is the children I am most proud of. Sometimes when you go around schools we feel a little intimidated by the pupils or teachers but here the parents feel at ease.”

The school also has a strong emphasis on sports with infant and junior playgrounds, a sports field and two dedicated PE co-ordinators.

Aloeric is also a Bike It Plus School promoting active travel to school through fun, practical, educational activities and has parking for 60 bicycles and more than 40 scooters at the front of the school.