Ofsted 'outstanding' rating handed out just once around Burton

Just one education provider was handed an 'outstanding' rating by Ofsted in Burton and South Derbyshire last year.

Woodville Day Nursery was the recipient of the only outstanding rating from the education watchdog in the area between September 2016 and August 2017 - the last academic year.

The results of all outstanding education providers was published by Ofsted on January 15 as part of its annual report.

While schools and nurseries may only be assessed around once every four years - the number of top ratings has fluctuated in the past few years.

From September 2015 to August 2016 there were six outstanding ratings in the Burton and South Derbyshire area.

Children and staff at Woodville Day Nursery received an 'outstanding' Ofsted report (Image: Woodville Day Nursery)

These were: Burton and South Derbyshire College, Burton; Whacky Kids Club, Woodville; Extra Time Club, Alrewas; All Saints CofE Primary School, Alrewas; Longdon Park School, Egginton; and The Linnet Independent Learning Centre, Castle Gresley.

Meanwhile, in the same period stretching between 2014 to 2015, there were three centres awarded the highest assessment grade.

These were: Violet Way Nursery and Violet Way Out of School Club, Stapenhill; Little Lambs Childcare, Burton; and The Child Psychology Service, Burton.

The education watchdog rates each school based on four main categories, which present an overall ranking.

These categories are: How effective leadership and management are; the quality of teaching, learning and assessment; the level of personal development, behaviour and welfare; and the outcomes achieved by children.

Inspectors judge these out of four ratings - outstanding, which is the highest, good, requires improvement and the lowest of inadequate.

Woodville Day Nursery in Blacksmiths Lane, which cares for 200 children, was handed the top-of-the-tree outstanding rating in all four categories, earning it the same grade overall following its June 2017 assessment.

This was a grade higher than it achieved in December 2013 when it was rated good.

The inspector praised the staff team and reported that they "ensure the learning environment is vibrant and inviting enabling a high quality of teaching which is inspirational and truly worthy of dissemination to others."

In its report, Ofsted labelled children's behaviour as "exemplary" after children were extremely kind towards each other and went out of their way to help their friends, supported by the highly skilled staff team.

This was also noted by parents who "speak highly of the nursery and the experiences that their children have. They also say how much they appreciate the support they receive from the staff."

Graham Blunt, one of the directors of Swingboat Nurseries, which oversees the centre in Woodville, says the result was down to the "very skilled and dedicated team" who all work "tremendously hard".

He added that the nursery was also one of just four education providers in Derbyshire to be rated outstanding in the last academic year.

Woodville Day Nursery in Blacksmiths Lane (Image: Google)

Mr Blunt told the Burton Mail: "We are very fortunate to have a very skilled and dedicated team at Woodville Day Nursery who all work tremendously hard to provide the high levels of childcare required to achieve the Outstanding grading.

"As a group of nurseries we have a policy of only employing qualified childcare practitioners, where as it is generally the case that only 50 per cent of staff are qualified at most settings, we also have a policy of training all of our staff in paediatric first aid and food hygiene, which again far exceeds the usual requirements.

"We work in partnership with the parents of the children who we care for which enables us to fully tailor our care for each individual child.

"We also put a great deal of importance into the training and development of our staff team and this plays an important part in our being able to provide the fully inclusive teaching, assessment and personal development needed to achieve the outstanding grading."

Which schools and nurseries were rated good in the last academic year in the Burton and South Derbyshire area?

Abbot Beyne School, Burton

All Saints CofE First School, Uttoxeter

Belmont Primary School, Swadlincote

Boomerangs - The Newhall Day Nursery, Newhall

Branston Pre-School Centre, Branston

Brookfields Day Nursery, Hatton

Chuckle Bunnies Day Nursery, Swadlincote

Church Gresley Infant and Nursery School, Church Gresley

Church Gresley Playgroup T/A Church Gresley Pre-school, Church Gresley

Coton-in-the-Elms CofE Primary School, Coton-in-the-Elms

Darcy Bunnie Creative Arts Nursery, Hilton