THE education service in North Yorkshire is one of the best in the country according to schools inspectors.

An Ofsted report into the county council's education department listed no failures and no aspect of provision as unsatisfactory.

In almost every measurement, the authority was the best in the north of England, and its provision for key stage three children - those aged 14 - was third best in the country.

The report, published on Monday, followed detailed inspection of the department in January. Inspectors looked at progress since their last visit in 2000, the effectiveness of the service and whether further improvements were likely to be made.

Major strengths identified included leadership, strategic planning, school improvements, special education and work with vulnerable children. Nothing was judged below "satisfactory" and there were no weaknesses.

Inspectors outlined some aspects for further development, including broadening work on new courses for students aged 14 to 19, sharpening up plans to cope with a forecast of falling school rolls and ensuring documentation is more uniform across schools.

Special school provision was to be modernised, which officials had already identified as an area which required more work.

Cynthia Welbourn, director of education, said: "We were inspected four years ago and came out in the premier league then but this time they expected us to have got even better. There are 50 criteria and something like 500 judgments which the inspectors made about us and they found nothing unsatisfactory. Overwhelmingly thing are very good, good or satisfactory."

The authority, which provides education for 100,000 children in 400 schools and 300 early years units, was praised for the way in which officers, teachers and councillors work together.

There was recognition of problems faced in very rural areas with small schools and at Catterick Garrison, where the children of Army families often leave or start part way through the school.

The authority was also praised for allocating more money to schools than the Government required, and for keeping its own administration costs low. The condition and maintenance of school premises and equipment was generally good.

"The inspectors picked out that, although the county is the largest in England, members made education a high priority and put extra money into schools," said Ms Welbourn. "But they recognised that our own costs - the third lowest in the country - were kept to a minimum."

Coun John Weighell, council leader, said the county was classed as rural, with the exception of Harrogate and Scarborough, and many schools were very small. "North Yorkshire does not receive a large amount of government funding. Some of our schools which get such wonderful results are not funded as well as those in big city areas would be but, in almost every measurement, we are the top authority in the north of England.

Ms Welbourn and Coun Weighell visited schools across the county on Monday to celebrate the Ofsted findings.

Venues included the new Middleton Tyas primary school, near Richmond, which opened last week.

The £1.1m building replaced the old village school, built in 1862, after its roll grew from an all time low of 34 about 12 years ago to 113. The premises were cramped and children had to walk to the village hall for lunch and PE.

The new school, built on the playing fields, includes five classrooms, a sports hall, kitchens., library, storage and car parking, all accessible to disabled people. Green measures, including window frames from sustainable forests and rainwater collection to flush toilets, are included.

The Victorian school bell was moved from the old building to the new premises and is rung each morning at the start of assembly.

Richmond MP William Hague officially opens the new school on May 21.