A Horwich nursery is celebrating a being awarded the highest rating Ofsted can give.
The education watchdog has grades Croft House Nursery, on Bridge Street, ‘outstanding’ following an inspection.
This is the fourth time that director Janet Lomax-Baxter has achieved the same result, having received an outstanding rating three times at the original Croft House Nursery site, which opened in 1989.
Croft House is a privately run family business.
Inspectors Lisa Oakley and Lyndsey Murray were particularly impressed with the outdoor learning provisions that the nursery offers.
They reported: “Children thrive in an environment that connects them closely with the benefits of nature and the outdoors. They are well prepared with the necessary skills to access outdoor spaces and enjoy regular forest-school sessions.
“As they explore the natural world, children develop a deep sense of curiosity and thirst for adventure. This motivates them to ask questions and make predictions, which spark interesting conversations.”
They added: “The curriculum is expertly sequenced and highly successful in ensuring that all children make rapid progress across all areas of learning and development. In particular, children are learning the essential skills to become competent communicators.
“As a result, children are able to communicate their needs and are showing increasing levels of independence.”
Director Janet Lomax-Baker said: “We are thrilled to have achieved the grade of ‘Outstanding’ in our recent Ofsted inspection, especially following the massive challenges posed to families and staff by Covid-19.
“I would like to thank my talented, dedicated, and enthusiastic staff members and am immensely proud to continue to offer childcare and early years education of the very highest standard.
“I would also like to thank our parents and families for the wonderful support they continue to give.
“We look forward to an exciting future in our beautiful new, spacious setting which allows us to provide the very best learning environment for children and enables the staff to be innovative and inspirational in their teaching.”
Croft House Nursery also offers a before and after school club for children attending nearby Horwich Parish CE Primary School, as well as a holiday club for children living in the local area.
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