CELEBRATIONS are underway after inspectors rated a nursery in Easingwold as ‘Outstanding.’

Tiddlywinks Private Day Nursery, Chapel Street, was awarded the highest rating by Ofsted following a visit from inspectors on October 19.

It was rated Outstanding in all areas, improving on the ‘Good’ rating achieved at its previous inspection on February 7, 2017.

The nursery caters for children up to the age of five and at the time of the inspection there were 63 children on roll.

Tracey Roberts, owner of the nursery, said she is “extremely proud of the team following the inspection.”

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The Easingwold branch was opened in 2015 following the opening of Tiddlywinks York in 2004, which is also rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

Since opening it has taken time to build and develop its large outdoor area and has invested in the “forest school ethos” – using the outdoor space to further the children’s learning.

Rowena Jew, manager, said that following on from the inspection the nursery will continue to build on the “wonderful foundations that already exist” and “always strive to develop and extend children’s knowledge and confidence during their time at nursery.”

In the report, Ofsted inspectors praised the nursery, stating that all the children’s achievements are valued “no matter how small.”

They added: “Staff are intuitive to children. They adapt activities to keep children motivated.”

The watchdog found that children were supportive of each other and made use of the opportunities available.

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“All children's experiences are rich and diverse, and help them to make exceptional progress,” the report said.

“All staff are able to recognise the skills which children should acquire at each stage of their journey through the nursery.

“Staff use opportunities at mealtimes and during play to consolidate children's previous learning.”

Inspectors further praised the staffs’ “strong partnership” with local schools, which helps children to be prepared and ready to move on from the nursery.

“Staff make sure that children's next steps in education are a smooth transition and a natural progression from nursery,” they said.

On the topic of safeguarding, inspectors found the arrangements to be effective.

“Children are very safe in this setting,” they said.

“The managers have ensured that there is a shared responsibility towards safeguarding children.”

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They added: “Staff's knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse and their responsibility for reporting any concerns is excellent.

“Children are encouraged to manage their own risk in the forest school area and on the climbing frames.

“Staff talk about the benefits of risk, and children develop the skills to navigate physical risks outdoors.”

Tiddlywinks Easingwold is open from 8.00am – 6pm Monday to Friday and can be contacted on 01347 824123.

The full report can be found on Ofsted's website.