Staff weep tears of joy as South Shields nursery judged outstanding by Ofsted

The Bungalow Pre-school, which is located on Prince Edward Road, was deemed to be outstanding in all areas.

Inspectors praised the excellent relationships in which the staff know the children “exceptionally well”, going “above and beyond” to cater for their needs and describe the nursery as a “very inclusive and friendly setting”.

After being judged good at their previous inspection, manager Vicky Rounthwaite was delighted with the progress to now achieve Ofsted’s top possible grading.

She said: “When we heard the judgement, there was a range of different emotions, with some people cheering while others were in tears. I’m really pleased the inspectors recognised the commitment of the staff who go ‘above and beyond’ for the children.

"I’ve only been at this nursery since April, so I’m delighted we’ve got this outstanding judgement. The staff have worked so hard and I can’t thank them enough.”

The report commended the relationships established with the children’s parents.

The report said: “Parents speak very highly of the setting. They praise the excellent communication and the dedication of the staff team. Staff work in close

partnership with parents and encourage them to involve themselves in the setting through stay and play.”

Vicky added: “I’m really pleased the inspectors recognised the relationship we have with families.”

A key focus of the report was the development of children’s independence and the role of the nursery in preparing the children for school.

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Lead inspector Julie Foers said: “Children are growing rapidly in independence. They put on and take off their own coats, shoes and aprons. They encourage children to fetch their own water from the water butt, as they dig with soil and plant seeds outside in the enclosed garden.

"Children find their own photos to peg onto a washing line when they arrive. This helps create feelings of belonging and ownership.

“The setting has a school-ready programme.This includes providing book bags to take home and trays for lunchtimes, as children will have when at school.”

The nursery was also praised for the “superb” development of children’s communication skills, “excellent” support for their physical development and “outstanding” provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).