A Bexhill school for children with severe learning disabilities has been praised for its excellent Ofsted reports.

For the staff and 100 pupils at Glyne Gap School, Hastings Road, the news was a welcome surprise.

Headteacher John Hassell said: "We were with a number of schools who had outstanding Ofsted reports. I think we have done exceptionally well because of the quality of the staff that we have here.

"It's nice to have the work that we do affirmed in a public way. It's good for the staff and good for the parents."

Work has begun on £1.5 million building in the grounds of Bexhill College which Glyne Gap students will use.

Mr Hassell said the department, for 16 to 19-year-olds, would help promote full integration with mainstream education. The school takes pupils aged between two and 19.

Staff at St Richard's Catholic School, Ashdown Road, Bexhill, are also celebrating after being singled out as another Ofsted success story.

The school, which is going for special status in science and maths, was praised for its high standards for the second time in five years.

Principal Tony Campbell said: "It is a testament to the hard work of everyone involved.

"It is the teaching staff who are dedicated and committed who have the interests of children at heart, the supportive governing body and the parents who buy into the culture of the college."

Seaford Primary School, Wilkinson Way, once put in special measures after a damning Ofsted report, has been praised for its progress.

Four years ago the school was languishing behind education and management targets but it has now been removed from special measures.

Acting headteacher Tony Jones said: "They were particularly pleased with the progress made in the standards achieved and the leadership and management of the school. It's taken a massive amount of hard work on the part of staff, parents, governors and children."

Six hundred schools across England which have either done exceptionally well in inspections or had been taken out of special measures were praised in the annual Ofsted inspector's report.