Outstanding rating again for ‘high-quality’ Swaffham nursery

Pre-school staff have been celebrating after being awarded an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating for the second time running.

Swaffham Pre-school Playgroup, located on Brandon Road, received the good news following an inspection in early July this year.

The school had also received an ‘outstanding’ rating after the previous inspection six-years ago.

Natalie Gotts, pre-school chairwoman, said: “My understanding is that less than 17 per cent of settings across the UK manage to retain outstanding so this is an achievement worth shouting about!

“We received the official notification on the last day of the summer term, so unfortunately we have been unable to share our success until now.

“However we feel the staff deserve some recognition of the wonderful job that they do.”

At the time of the inspection, there were 56 two- to five-year-olds at the preschool.

There are now plans for the school, which currently has 30 children, to forge new links with the junior school.

Tina Grinsell, manager, said this would entail the majority of children merging.

She added staff were “really excited to be ‘outstanding’ twice on the trot”.

The school was rated ‘outstanding’ for leadership and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, outcomes for children and personal development, behaviour and welfare.

Ofsted praised the pre-school for many reasons including teaching methods and facilities.

The July report stated: “The committee, manager and staff are committed to providing high-quality care and education.

"They systematically review the quality of the setting and continually strive for excellence.

“ They state their aim is to ‘help children become the very best version of themselves’.”

The report noted the use of information books to “support and deepen” learning as well as the school dog Barney helping children to be “kind and empathetic”.

Independence and self-care skills were noted as children serve themselves breakfast and remember to wash their hands on their own.