Nine new primary schools were today revealed as a major success story of the Bradford schools reorganisation - they have all passed Ofsted reports with flying colours.

The axing of middle schools left the district with 150 primaries. Most "grew" out of existing first schools, but nine were set up from scratch.

The nine head teachers formed a support group called Phones - Primary Heads Of Newly Established Schools.

They are now all celebrating success in their first Ofsted inspections after just three years in business.

Mark Pattison, managing director of Education Bradford, said the huge re-organisation had a "destabilising effect" on many schools in the district. A quarter of high schools have since been placed in Special Measures or deemed to have "serious weaknesses" by the school watchdog - the highest proportion in the country.

But the nine new primary schools were all rated at least "sound" and some were even better, he said. Most of them are led by former middle school heads who lost their jobs in the shake-up.

The schools are Wycliffe CE, Saltaire; Iqra, Manningham; Lower Fields, Fenby Avenue; Newhall Park, Bierley; Burley Oaks, Ilkley; Worth Valley, Keighley; Knowleswood in Holme Wood; Holybrook, Ravenscliffe; and Thorpe, Idle.

At Wycliffe CE Primary in Saltaire, teaching is rated good overall and "excellent" for the youngest pupils. Several subjects are described as "outstanding".

The report says: "Despite the considerable challenges of setting up a new school, the staff strive to match the needs of every individual."

Pupil behaviour is very well managed, Ofsted found, with children rewarded for being good with 15 minute periods of "Golden Time" when they can choose their own activities at the end of the school day.

Special praise is also reserved for the way the school cares for its refugee pupils who "receive very high quality support and make very good progress."

David Jones, head teacher at Holybrook Primary which serves the Ravenscliffe estate, was also delighted with an Ofsted inspection that gave his fledgling school a clean bill of health.

He remembers spending all six weeks of the 2000 summer holidays hard at work with the rest of the staff getting the school ready. They were moving furniture at 10pm on the night before term started.

"We formed the Phones group to share the challenge and pool expertise, and it's been good," he said.