SUNFLOWERS Day Nursery and out-of-school club at St Anne’s Primary School has been praised in its Ofsted report, having been graded as ‘good’ - the second-highest rating.

The centre offers care for children up to the age of 11, which is the age when children begin secondary school, and employs 17 members of staff.

All areas of the inspection, including effectiveness of management, quality of teaching and personal development, were graded as ‘good’, with the same rating given for the centre overall. The report said the ‘staff provide a stimulating and enabling environment with free access to a wide range of high-quality resources and activities to promote learning’.

Inspector Isabel Ford, who also spoke to parents of children who attend the nursery, taking their views into account in the report, said: “Staff work closely with parents, sharing information and keeping them well informed of their children's progress.

“Staff provide helpful advice and activities that promote a shared approach to learning that parents can continue at home. Partnerships with other settings and professionals help promote good outcomes for children.

“Children are highly inquisitive and enjoy exploring the natural environment. For example, children are excited to observe caterpillars turn into butterflies and eagerly share their knowledge of chickens while playing in the Forest School area.

“Staff provide supportive transitions between rooms and on to school. This supports children's well-being and provides continuity of care.”

The report also outlined the reasons why the nursery was not awarded the highest possible grading of ‘outstanding’.

It said staff are ‘sometimes too quick to give children answers to the questions they ask’, not giving children 'enough thinking time to work out the solution themselves’.

The only other criticism was a lack of opportunity to learn about ‘diversity and develop respect for each other's similarities and differences’.

The full report can be accessed via the nursery’s website, at sunflowersatstannes.co.uk