A TEST Valley pre-school is on top form after being judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted officials.

Management at Wellow Under Fives Pre-School are over the moon after Ofsted gave the early years provider the highest rating possible.

Manager Katie Hunt said: “This acknowledgement of our pre-school proves all the hard work to raise our standards has paid off. The staff and parents are really dedicated to creating the kind of environment children deserve and I think that we have succeeded.”

Currently the Buttons Lane-based pre-school, which opened in 1967, has 21 children on its books.

In her report Ofsted inspector Helen Robinshaw said: “Children are making excellent progress in their learning and development in this nurturing and high stimulating pre-school.”

Continuing to heap praise on the pre-school the inspector added: “All areas of learning are fully enriched as staff make an excellent range of resources accessible to children. Staff have very high expectations for themselves and for the children entrusted to them. Working closely with parents, staff take care to establish an excellent knowledge of children’s starting points, their specific needs and preferences. Children’s learning journeys include dated photographs and observations linked to all areas of learning.”

Mrs Robinshaw’s report also highlights the partnerships be-tween parents and staff at the pre-school.

“Staff and parents routinely share progress updates ensuring that all children flourish in the continuity of shared learning between home and pre-school. Staff take excellent steps to include parents in more formal updates, such as the progress check for two year olds and completion of summaries as children start school. The extremely effective partnerships established with parents and others support staff to meet children’s individual needs extensively,” says the report.

The inspector added that children’s behaviour was generally very good.