A SCHOOL which rewards youngsters with free time for hard work and good behaviour has won praise from government inspectors.

Ofsted inspectors found that 305-pupil Hemlington Hall School, Middlesbrough is an effective school where pupils learn and achieve well in a caring and supportive environment.

The report added that staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they should behave.

Pauline Baldwin, headteacher, said: "As you can imagine, pupils and staff are going into their Christmas break on the crest of a wave.

"The golden time system, where pupils earn points to get a choice of activity by working hard and behaving well, has captured the imagination of children and parents and has strengthened the pupils' positive attitude to school."

The report comes shortly after Schools' Minister David Miliband wrote to congratulate Hemlington Hall on its performance in national tests, when it was judged one of the country's 100 top performing schools in the new value-added league table.

Chairman of governors, Alan Trice, said: "This success is down to the commitment staff have shown over the years to the school. The children are a credit to the community."

Areas where the school should take action include improving attendance and punctuality.