Ofsted rating: `Nurturing' Roberttown Lane Pre-School receives ‘good’ report

Roberttown Lane Pre-School, off Roberttown Lane, is a small setting based in the Scout Hut in the village with 25 children on roll.

However, the “nurturing” pre-school has made a big impression with the education watchdog who stated, after an inspection last month, that children still want to attend “even during the holidays.”

The report says: “Children are happy and thrive in this welcoming pre-school. They settle quickly through the nurturing and consistent care that staff provide.

“Staff know children very well. They provide tailored care to meet children's individual needs. Children's emotional well-being is strong.

“Children feel safe at pre-school and enjoy plenty of uninterrupted time to play. They learn to care for the environment. Children work well together as they sweep the sand and put it in the bin. They also plant flowers to brighten up the local community and take part in a local gardening competition.

“Staff recognise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children who were born just before, and during, this time. They work hard to ensure that any gaps in children's development are supported.

“Parents speak highly of the pre-school. They are kept informed about their children's learning. Parents state that their children are happy. They say that their children want to come to the pre-school, even during the holidays.”

Manager of the pre-school, Janet Bolt, who has worked there since 1998, said: “We are very pleased with the report, particularly with it being nearly six years since the last inspection. An awful lot has happened in that time with COVID and all the additional pressures that brought, so we are really, really pleased.

“I have extreme pride in that we continue to offer a safe environment for our children where they are happy and learning.

“I have got a great team behind me. There has been a lot of hard work put in from everybody, including the committee. We are a long-standing staff team. We have all been here a lot of years and most of us live here.

“We have also got great support from the parents. They adapted with us throughout all the changes that we had to implement.”