A Brighton nursery school head has spoken of her delight after the official watchdog Ofsted issued another outstanding verdict.
Ofsted gave its top rating to Tarnerland Nursery School, in Sussex Street and St John’s Place, Brighton, for the fifth time in 16 years.
Head teacher Julie Plumstead said: “We’re absolutely delighted that our outstanding Ofsted grading reflects the commitment and contribution of work that every single member of the team put in.
“That includes our caretaker, our administrators, our governors and, of course, every single nursery practitioner.”
Brighton and Hove City Council said that Ofsted’s rating recognised that the care and education received by children at Tarnerland was of the highest quality.
And, the council said, the strict criteria to be graded “outstanding” in a full school inspection meant that it was more and more difficult to achieve.
Tarnerland is the only school in the city to achieve the accolade in the past few years.
The council said: “Tarnerland is a busy and diverse nursery school in the centre of Brighton, for over 180 children from three months to five years.
“It is funded by the local education authority in partnership with the council and is part of the Tarner Children’s Centre.”
Ofsted said: “Children make outstanding progress. Provision for children to learn through purposeful play, in all areas of learning both indoors and outside, is outstanding. Staff nurture children with great sensitivity, lending confidence to their learning.
“Children learn and play together harmoniously. The ethos of care and sharing has a profound impact on children’s social skills, behaviour and progress.”
Ofsted specifically praised the adults’ engagement with children, saying: “They talk calmly and with kindness, using language and conversation expertly to develop children’s speaking and listening skills.
“All have high expectations of children’s behaviour and are excellent role models for children to learn from.”
Head teacher Julie Plumstead said: “Our outstanding Ofsted grading needs particular celebration in this climate of decreasing funding and increasing costs.
“We have a really strong key person system, giving each child outstanding care and education, and we give really focused support to our vulnerable groups, particularly with speech and language delay.
“The quality of care and learning the inspector saw on the day of the inspection happens at Tarnerland every single day. We are all really lucky to be working in such a magnificent place.”
