Staff and children at Little Bears Pre-School are celebrating after being awarded the top, Outstanding, grade by inspectors Ofsted.
The cosy pre-school operates out of St Leonards Parish Hall with immediate access to countryside, safely away from the roads. While being set in a beautiful rural location, the pre-school is less than a 15 minute drive from both central Chesham and Tring and has a large car park.
The Ofsted inspector highlighted many aspects about Little Bears.
‘Children make excellent in progress in their learning. High-quality, timely intervention by staff ensures that any gaps in children’s achievements close swiftly. Many children exceed expectations for their age, particularly in their communication and language skills.
Most able children are given extensive opportunities to build on their skills in readiness for starting school. Staff include parents in children’s learning. They share home challenges, songs and next steps on a weekly basis with parents.
Real-life experiences, such as visits from local people with hearing dogs, help children to learn about disabilities. This supports children’s excellent awareness of the differences between themselves and others.’
Playleader Claire Cox was understandably delighted with the Outstanding judgement. “We have a passion for combining children’s learning with having a positive and fun experience during these vital formative years. We also aim to prepare our children for their next stage, the big move to school. Our children are prepared in the best possible way to ensure they have a smooth transition into school.
“I am also immensely proud of our dedicated committee and highly professional staff team whose work ensures our children have the best starts in their lives.”