'Children thrive in the care of nurturing staff' - Pre-school near Oswestry is 'Outstanding' across the board

The quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management at Morda Pre-school, based at Morda CofE Primary School, have all been graded 'Outstanding' after an inspection on July 14.

In a glowing report published on Monday (August 4), Ofsted said children "thrive" at the "calm and welcoming" setting where staff have an "exceptional understanding" of the curriculum.

Parents are said to "speak enthusiastically" about the pre-school and the "incredible range of experiences" their children enjoy.

The report said staff create "fantastic opportunities" for children to build on their fine motor skills. Older children can use hammers, screwdrivers and wire cutters, understanding and adhering to safety measures. Ofsted said this supports risk-taking and boosts their confidence. 

Inspectors added that children benefit from "vast" outdoor play areas and a forest school at the setting. Leaders at Morda Pre-school were lauded in the report for their management and care for the environment. 

"The manager's passion for providing children with the best possible start in life is infectious and permeates throughout the pre-school," the report said. "The manager ensures that staff at all levels receive personalised training opportunities to enable them all to build on their knowledge and skills. 

"Leaders and staff have an ongoing commitment to reviewing the quality of the pre-school provision."

The pre-school has also been commended for providing children with a range of trips and "exciting outings", including bus trips, and visits to the local park and the theatre. Inspectors said this enriches children's experiences and enables them to learn about the community they live in. 

The report said: "Children thrive in the care of nurturing staff within this calm and welcoming setting. The pre-school's outstanding curriculum emphasises the importance of a child's self-worth, agency and innate curiosity, promoting learning through exploration, discovery and play. 

"It views children as capable individuals with strong potential for development, learning best through first-hand experiences and collaborative interactions.

"Skilled staff understand the importance of allowing children time to explore and discover, and their interactions are subtle and meaningful. The high-quality teaching across the pre-school ensures that all children make excellent progress. 

"Children's behaviour is exemplary. Both indoors and outdoors, children show kindness to staff and their friends. For example, while outdoors, children collect their friend's water bottle and pass it to them to cool down after running."

The full report can be read here.