An Oxford pre-school has been rated 'good' by Ofsted following an inspection in July.
Mortimer Hall Pre-School, in Old Marston, received 'good' ratings across the board for its quality of education, the behaviour and personal development of its children and the for its leadership and management.
It provides childcare on non-domestic premises for children aged two to five, with a total of 26 places available.
It operates from the village hall in Old Marston, close to the centre of Oxford, from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time.
One key factor highlighted by the report was the strong emotional well-being support at the pre-school.
The report said: "Staff warmly greet parents and children as they enter the pre-school.
"The strong key-person system and well-thought-out curriculum supports children's emotional well-being.
"Children seek comfort and cuddles from their key person when needed, showing they feel safe and secure."
The report also commended the effort staff put into promoting and supporting children's communication and language skills.
It said they stay close as children chat while building with blocks, "expertly interweaving" new words such as 'big' and 'wobbly'.
This leads the children to have a "good vocabulary" which they "animatedly" use to share their ideas with others.
Children were found to "listen intently" and "enjoy repeating the new words they learn".
Mortimer Hall's approach to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) was also praised.
Children with SEND receive "full attention and highly tailored support", the inspector found, and all children's achievements, no matter how small, are celebrated with "excitement".
SEND children are "afforded the utmost care and learning", which the inspector said was a "real strength" of the pre-school.
The atmosphere was noted to be "calm", with children's behaviour deemed "good".
The staff's well-planned activities, high expectations of the children and promotion of independence and confidence were also applauded.
Older children, in particular, were found to display confidence by "actively involving visitors in their play and cheerfully shouting 'hello' as people enter the room".
The inspector recognised the leaders' dedication to staff well-being, saying staff value the "kind and caring" support they receive.
Parents "value the friendly staff and the homely environment provided", the inspector added.
The inspector found the arrangements for safeguarding are effective and there is an "open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first".
This was the first routine inspection the pre-school has received since the pandemic began.
The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the pre-school and took that into account when giving their assessment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here