A children’s day nursery in Ely, one of 300 in a group across the country, has been rated “outstanding” in all areas by Ofsted.

Bright Horizons was registered in 2015 and the report is its first official grading since.

Jacqueline Baker, inspector, said: “Teaching is consistently of a very high quality.

“Children flourish and thrive in the highly stimulating environment and from an early age develop an enthusiasm for learning.

“Parents offer the highest of praise for the manager and her staff.

“They appreciate the dedication and support staff give to families and the excellent progress children make.”

The nursery in Angel Drove has 120 children on its books from birth to four year old under the management of Jess Knowles, who has worked in childcare for 11 years.

She began her career as a nursery assistant and worked her way up to a managerial role.

She said: “We are delighted to receive this outstanding inspection grading from Ofsted.

“It is a pleasure to be part of an inspirational team who deliver exceptional childcare on a daily basis.”

Bright Horizons, which has a 30 year history, employs 36 staff at its Ely nursery on the Cambridgeshire Business Park, and the inspection included speaking to parents and management team.

Inspector Baker said: “The management team has high expectations and works tirelessly to ensure children have the very best experiences.

“Children have great fun and thoroughly enjoy their time at nursery.

“They have a wealth of highly stimulating learning opportunities available to them and even the youngest are able to independently find their favourite activity or plaything.

“Staff show excellent teaching skills as they know when to involve themselves in children’s play and when to step back.

“Plenty of cuddles are on offer for those who need to snuggle up before they have a much needed rest.

“Children are inspired to investigate and learn. Children make rapid progress from their starting points and are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage in learning.”

The only thing the setting needs to do to improve, according to Ofsted, is: “Continue to enhance the already excellent monitoring of staff practice to maintain the highly effective quality of teaching.”

Before it was Bright Horizons the nursery was run by Kids Unlimited.