STAFF at Blackdown Children’s Day Nursery at Chelston are delighted after receiving a ‘Good’ rating following an inspection by schools watchdog Ofsted.

Effectiveness of the leadership and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, personal development, behaviour and welfare, and outcomes for children were all rated good following the inspection last month.

Nursery manager Claire Kevan said: “I have only managed the nursery for a couple months and I am delighted with the Ofsted rating of ‘Good’.

“The staff team are dedicated and passionate, and I am incredibly proud of them all. We have made some positive changes recently and I believe we will continue to grow.

“We embrace new ideas and challenges because the children are at the heart of everything we do – reflecting on each day ensures we are always developing and supporting the learning and well-being of each and every child in our care.”

The report said all children make good progress and staff work closely with other professionals to ensure children with special educational needs receive the support they need.

The provider and manager support staff very well and encourage them to develop their skills – all staff, for example, are learning sign language.

The manager has introduced good systems to monitor the effectiveness of the learning programme. Thorough tracking helps her identify gaps in learning for individuals and groups of children, which she and staff address well through the planning process.

Children have good self-esteem and show through their behaviour that they feel emotionally secure. For example, babies enjoy a cuddle with staff before they settle to sleep. Staff include older children well in making decisions about daily activities and they confidently discuss what resources they will need.

The inspector said that to improve further the nursery should review how group activities are organised and provide more challenge for older children as they learn to use technology for different purposes.