A NEW system for inspecting schools has been given the thumbs-up by a Basingstoke headteacher after his school was a "guinea pig" as part of a national trial.

Ofsted inspectors visited Hatch Warren Junior School, in Gershwin Road, as part of a pilot scheme that gave staff and pupils a taste of the new shorter, sharper inspections - where schools only get two days' notice that the inspectors are to pay them a visit.

The school was delighted to receive a glowing report in return for the trial.

Ian Burrows, headteacher at the school, said: "We preferred the new system.

"There is less stress on the staff as you do not get such a long build-up and the children seem to be more involved, with the inspectors spending far more time talking to pupils."

The inspectors were impressed by what they saw at the school, naming it as a good school and praising the quality of teaching.

In 20 of the 24 main judgement areas, the school was given good grades, receiving satisfactory grades in the other four. The school also ticked all of the inspectors' boxes in areas such as enabling learners to be healthy, stay safe and make a positive contribution.

Maths was identified as one area where standards could be improved.

Mr Burrows said staff are more than happy with the report they received.

"We are all very pleased to have received this good report," he said. "The inspectors noticed the improvements we have implemented and the children confirmed what we had said in our self-assessments when they were asked.

"We are working on strategies to improve maths, as it is a little behind the level we are at in English.

"I think we achieved this report through open discussion and working together as a team. We constantly review the way we teach to see what works and what does not.

"We are always striving to make the next improvement without throwing out things that are already good."

The new school inspection system is due to be introduced in September and a total of 200 schools across the country have been inspected as part of the pilot scheme this school year. Hatch Warren was the only school in Hampshire to take part this term.