WHAT does a Bishop actually do?,What are his responsibilities?,What does he wear under his cassock?

These were among the insightful questions which pupils at Grove CofE Primary School put to the Rt Rev Colin Fletcher, Bishop of Dorchester, when he popped in for a visit last week.

The interest in church matters must have been music to teachers' ears at a school which says it puts the three core Christian values of love, respect and resilience at the heart of everything it does.

The 160-pupil school, next door to Williams F1's Grove HQ, has now been pursuing that mission under the cassock of Oxfordshire' Church of England school board for five years.

Those first five years have been turbulent, with the departure of previous headteacher Wendy Foster and Ofsted telling the school last year that it must improve.

However new head Sue Gould, who joined just two years ago, is on a determined campaign to improve, putting a Christian ethos at the heart of her mission.

She explained: "Our school motto is 'everyone matters and every moment counts'.

"Our children are regularly complimented on their manners, positive attitude to their learning and the welcome the provide to new pupils.

"We have a dedicated team of staff and governors who are working hard to make Grove a happy, safe school with high standards of teaching and learning."

And indeed, Mrs Gould's zeal was reflected in Ofsted's last report.

While inspector Liz Bowes said she wanted the school to do better, she also said it was 'steadily improving'.

Praising Mrs Gould in particular, she wrote: "The new headteacher has already addressed key areas, including improving pupils’ behaviour in lessons.

"As a result, pupils now have positive attitudes towards their learning."

She also said that parents were 'very positive' about the school.

The challenge to now improve is all the more pressing as some 5,000 homes are set to be built in Wantage and Grove in the next 15 years.

If Grove CofE can continue to improve whilst expanding to take a growing number of pupils, then the future will be bright indeed.