IT IS the Hampshire school which aims to become a centre of excellence.

Teachers, governors and parents at Romsey Abbey Church of England Primary School, in Romsey, are working together to provide students with the best possible education and life chances.

Headteacher Julie-Anne Palfrey said their vision is that the school will be a distinctive community whose culture has limitless ambition, professionalism, engagement and caring at its heart.

“Achieving excellence in teaching is a core goal at Romsey Abbey Primary,” she said.

She added: “We continually strive to drive up the quality of our teaching by adopting best professional practice, and by regularly inviting external experts to advise us about ways to further improve, and to assess the effectiveness of the teaching.”

All the 199 pupils at the school can also get involved in a series of extra-curricular activities which include a trip to France to improve their language skills.

The children also learn musical instruments and enjoy days out at Hillier Arboretum and Downland Museum. Being only a few metres away from the abbey, they also try to make the most of it.

“We use the abbey as a resource, as it provides many insights into history, from the Anglo-Saxons through to the Reformation, and we even spend a night there as a sleepover,” Ms Palfrey said.

A forest school is also held in the woodland nearby.