THE amazing work of staff at Eynsham Pre-School has been praised after it was handed its first outstanding rating in at least 16 years.

Manager Kelly Harris said she was delighted after Ofsted inspectors said the school met the standards of the school watchdog's highest category.

It had previously been rated satisfactory, the second-lowest level, since at least 2000.

Ms Harris said: "I am extremely proud.

"We have worked really hard with the team and the community to improve.

"To go from satisfactory to outstanding, especially with a new inspection framework, is more difficult than it has ever been.

"A lot of hard work and commitment has gone in to get this achievement."

In her report, inspector Jessica Williams praised Ms Harris and said children were happy and settled at the 48-pupil school for two to four-year-olds.

She said all children made excellent progress in their development and that Ms Harris and her staff had high expectations for children.

There was also praise for the assessment process and the outdoor space.

Ms Harris, who took over three years ago, said: "I could not have had a better staff team, they are amazing.

"We have also had support from Oxfordshire County Council over the past three years as well.

"We have brilliant feedback from parents, without their support we would not have been able to achieve what we have."

Ms Williams said the pre-school could improve even further if it made full use of the learning environment to extend children's early literacy skills.

She added children developed extremely positive attitudes to learning and showed high levels of self-awareness and independence.

Ms Harris said: "We will continue every year when we get new children to focus on their needs of those children and adapt to them.

"We will continue to reflect and put things in place to change anything that is not working, but let us enjoy what we have managed to achieve first.

"It all depends on the children we have got and what their needs are to make sure we are meeting what those children need."