Nursery praised by inspectors

Inspectors from Ofsted visited Shrewsbury Prepatoria, which is based at Park Plaza, in November and rated the nursery as outstanding in all areas.

A previous inspection in 2014 had rated it as good.

They found that children were 'extremely happy and engaged at all times' and that there was an excellent partnership between staff and parents.

Led by inspector Lesley Bott, the team said: "Staff are passionate in providing an exciting environment for children to play and learn. They are knowledgeable and inspiring and show amazement at the wonderful and incredible things children do."

Staff were commended for supporting the children's mathematical skills in particular and were also recognised for managing their behaviour 'exceptionally well'.

"Superb questioning from staff helps children to extend and challenge their thinking and literacy skills. Staff have developed extremely effective arrangements for sharing information and working in partnership with other early years professionals," said the inspectors.

The quality of teaching was found to be outstanding. In the report, which was published this week, Ms Bott said: "Children's learning is exceptionally well promoted as their demonstrate their independence, creativity and imagination. A highly stimulating environment, rich in print, helps support children to acquire new language.

"Children thrive in this vibrant setting with the majority exceeding the expected development for their age. They gain excellent skills that prepare them very well for the next stage in their learning, such as starting school. They are exceptionally independent and enjoy a wide range of responsibilities."

The manager of the nursery was also praised by inspectors for being 'an inspirational leader' who is 'extremely proactive in sharing ideas with staff.

Ms Bott added: "She plans to develop the outdoor area even further to extend the already excellent learning opportunities for children who enjoy learning outdoors. She evaluates all aspects of the high-quality provision and uses the information to enhance children's learning experiences."

The nursery, which caters for children aged between three and five years of age and has 40 places, opened in 2013.