A NURSERY school is celebrating after being rated outstanding for the eighth successive time.

Wingate Community Nursery School in east Durham was given the top rating by Geoffrey Dorrity, of the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) following a visit last month. He highlighted the school’s continuous striving to offer young citizens the best start in life.

Mr Dorrity said: “Children are enthusiastic, confident and independent learners.

“They are effectively supported to be inquisitive because of the way the highly skilled staff continuously enhance the learning environment to enable them to follow their interests.”

He added: “Staff are reflective and challenge the children but always give them the time to really absorb their learning. This means children are consistently engaged in purposeful tasks and activities, and not a moment of time is wasted.”

Headteacher Becky Wood said: “I have a brilliant team who work incredibly hard to make Wingate Nursery School the special place that it is for all of us – the children, the families and each other.

“I am thrilled to have maintained outstanding as a new head and can say the experience was a very positive one, where we were able to share our work with a very interested inspector with a strong belief and understanding about high quality Early Years Education.”

She added: “One of our most precious school values is to respect children and their childhood, alongside valuing each and every family on this journey together, which was also acknowledged by the inspector in his report.”

Wingate Community Nursery School also offers professional development opportunities for schools, settings and consultants through its Training Base. Short courses, open days, twilights and conferences are available to all interested Early Years Professionals including its 11th National Conference on June 17, entitled ‘Sharing our Journey In2Nature’.

For more information on the half-day conference contact Glen Hughes on 01429 837572 for visit www.wingate-nur.durham.sch.uk or the school’s Facebook site.