Newbury pre-school pride at 'good' rating

St John's is handed a glowing report after Ofsted inspection

CHILDREN and staff at St John’s Pre-school in Newbury are celebrating after receiving a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted inspectors.

The pre-school was rated ‘good’ in three out of four areas (leadership and management; quality of teaching; and outcomes for children), while inspectors rated the personal development, behaviour and welfare as ‘outstanding’.

The pre-school, based in St John’s Church in St John’s Road, retained its overall ‘good’ rating from a previous Ofsted inspection in 2015.

In the report the inspector said staff are “highly skilled and responsive” in settling new children and developing trusting relationships with children and their parents.

According to Ofsted, children at the pre-school become confident communicators with the vocabulary to make their ideas clear to others.

The report goes on to say the manager and deputy manager carefully monitor and review children’s progress to identify and manage any gaps, delays or particular strengths in children's development.

The inspector noted that staff create “rich opportunities” for children to explore and learn about safety in their community.

During the visit, the inspector noted the following example: “They see and hear emergency vehicles passing and staff chalk out a phone pad for them to practice calling 999.”

Chairwoman of St John’s Pre-school committee Michelle Smith said: “We’re delighted that our recent Ofsted inspection recognised the fantastic work that our dedicated pre-school team do.

“They provide the children with a wealth of fantastic experiences and prepare them for taking the next step, starting school.

“Well done and thank you to everyone in our pre-school team, our children and their families.”