East Sussex pre-school 'thrilled' following Ofsted inspection

Stone Cross Pre-School, in Dittons Road, was given the rating in all areas following an inspection in October.

The school provides funded early education for children between two and three-years-old.

Sharon Gavigan, the pre-school’s supervisor, said: “I am thrilled to share the news of our recent Ofsted inspection results.

"I am incredibly proud to have received our good rating, a reflection of the hard work, dedication and passion of my amazing team. ”

In the report, the inspector described the pre-school as ‘warm and inspiring’ and said ‘staff go the extra mile’.

The inspector found that parents ‘speak very highly’ of the pre-school, which offers support for ‘not only their children but the whole family’.

Staff also ‘prioritise resilience and independence’, according to the report, which ‘encourages children to become confident communicators’.

The report said: “Staff have high expectations of children and encourage them to make choices to encourage their thinking skills.

"Children take pride in their achievements and are encouraged to peg their own artistic creations on the washing line. This helps to build their confidence as well as practise using their

small-muscle skills.

“Staff provide many opportunities to enhance children's experiences and understanding of the world beyond the nursery,” the inspector said.

"For example, staff take children to the local forest, dentist and doctor to support their learning.

"Staff go the extra mile by getting the doctor and dentist to talk to the children about their roles.”

The report added that ‘leadership and management are strengths of the pre-school’ and that staff ‘feel describe feeling knowledgeable about fulfilling the responsibilities of their role confidently’.

Gaye Nethercot, Chair of the Committee for Stone Cross Pre School, added: “We have to give a big thank you to all our parents and carers, past and present.

"We couldn't have achieved this without the support of our families and the wider community.

"Your trust in us all and involvement in our activities play a big part in making our pre-school the success it is today.”

The inspector added that, to improve its grade, the school should ‘provide more consistency in the support for children to explore expressive arts and design opportunities’.