AN Islamic school has been praised by Government inspectors.

Ofsted visited the independent Al-Asr Primary School in Blackburn for the first time since it opened in 2001, and found it to provide a good education.

The school teaches the National Curriculum within an Islamic ethos, teaching mainstream subjects in the morning and Islamic studies and Arabic lessons every afternoon.

Inspectors said the headteacher and staff at the St Silas's Road school were "totally committed to pupils' success and wellbeing".

This dedication along with a good curriculum and assessment, meant pupils made good progress. The report summarised: "The school's strong ethos combines successfully good academic education and the spiritual framework of Islam so that pupils make outstanding gains in their spiritual, moral, cultural and social development".

Islamic education was deemed outstanding and an integral part of the exceptional personal development, which saw pupils become "mature, thoughtful and considerate young people".