IT came within a whisker of closing down as councillors sought to rationalise rural education.

But Nun Monkton Primary School has since gone from strength to strength - and now it has been described as "outstanding" by Ofsted, following an inspection.

Ofsted's report says: "This is an outstanding school... Attendance and behaviour are outstanding and pupils clearly relish coming to this school... Pupils flourish in the school's caring family atmosphere"

Nun Monkton, situated between York and Harrogate, was one of the first schools to experience one of Ofsted's new-style inspections, which only started in September.

Schools are given only two days' notice of the new inspections, place great emphasis on the school's ability to evaluate its own management and performance, and on pupils' opinions. A school spokesman said that after two months, the category of "outstanding" had been won by only eight per cent of inspected schools across the country.

"The report places us in a very elite group of schools," said David Armitage, chairman of the governors. "This is extremely gratifying, especially in view of the fact that the school nearly closed 11 years ago.

"This is our centenary year and the report is a wonderful birthday present, as well as a tribute to our exceptional staff and pupils."

In 1994, North Yorkshire County Council's education committee voted to shut Nun Monkton school, in a rationalisation decision which appeared to sound the death knell for rural education across the county. The school had only 19 pupils, and councillors warned that every one with less than 30 pupils in North Yorkshire could come under review.

But later that year, Nun Monkton was saved from the axe by becoming the first school in North Yorkshire to opt out of local authority control.

The Education Secretary started a whole new era by awarding it grant maintained status, giving it a large degree of independence over its affairs. It later achieved foundation status under changes made by the Labour Government.

Under such status, the school recruits its own staff, administers its own finances, employs its own bursar, and makes decisions through the governing body on many major matters.

The number of pupils has risen to 30 but, following substantial investment in improved facilities, there are now a small number of places available.

Updated: 11:05 Saturday, December 10, 2005