“Lovely children, qualified staff and great support from parents” are some of the factors that have led to Isleham Pre-School’s ‘outstanding’ Ofsted report.

Ely Standard: Isleham pre school, Outstanding ofsted. Picture: Steve Williams.Isleham pre school, Outstanding ofsted. Picture: Steve Williams. (Image: Archant)

It’s no surprise that the children, aged between two and five, and staff members can’t stop smiling, because they’ve achieved ‘outstanding’ on all counts.

“We’re very proactive and enthusiastic,” said manager Jennie O’Sullivan, who has been with the setting for more than 12 years.

“We have a lot of fun, enjoy what we do and have very good links with the children’s centre and speech therapist.

“It’s an evolving practice and we’re always looking to develop it and improve. The children love it here.”

Florence and Grace, both four, said: “We like to come and dress up.”

Charlie, three, added: “I like to play with everything – play dough, dancing reading and bringing in things for show and tell.”

Among the setting’s new facilities is a £10,000 outdoor area and interactive smartboard, which were funded by community events including sponsored pancake races, an Easter egg hunt, Christmas fair and a float on gala day.

“The pre-school has a nice community feel to it,” said Catherine Judkins, one of the members on the parents committee.

“Everyone chips in and does their bit, which is really great.”

The manager demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities and a drive for improvement that is both inspirational and uncompromising, says the report.

Inspector Jacqueline Baker also states that staff members demonstrate a “great commitment to providing children with the very best early years experiences” and that children make “excellent progress” in their care.

“All staff demonstrate outstanding teaching abilities,” it continues, adding “children are keen to investigate and learn from a young age”.

The centre is said to have “excellent procedures in place to monitor children’s progress and the educational programme provided; information sharing is consistent and planning for children’s next steps in learning is second to none”.

There is an “air of vibrancy and enthusiasm at the pre-school from the moment children first arrive. They never tire of exploring the outstanding resources and activities available,” it concludes.

To improve further, the report states that the pre-school should “continue to build on the excellent programme of professional development for staff to maintain and extend their skills even further”.