A pre-school in a village near Ripon has been praised for the way it cares for and educates its pupils.

Kirkby Malzeard Pre-School was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in its latest inspection, which found children were well-behaved and had good manners.

Inspectors said their communication and language development was supported “exceptionally well”, with activities adapted for different ages and abilities. They said:

“Children are extremely happy and settled in the pre-school. On arrival, they are greeted enthusiastically by the warm and caring staff.

“Children know the routine well. They confidently hang up their coat, place their lunch boxes in the trolley and go to the bathroom to wash their hands before they go and play.

“Children feel safe and secure. They speak confidently to staff and initiate friendly conversations with peers.”

Ofsted visited the pre-school on May 4 and rated it ‘good’ in every area, maintaining the ranking from its previous inspection six years before.

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Inspectors recommended offering children more opportunities to build their independence at snack time, though they said the snacks provided were healthy and children had plenty of opportunities for outdoor play.

They also suggested improving the way staff find out from parents about children’s abilities when they begin pre-school, so they can “plan even more meaningful experiences from the start”.

With the eldest children about to begin primary school, the pre-school is preparing to welcome new pupils from September.

Early years lead Tracy Sidgwick said:

“We’re very happy with the report. We feel it’s a good, true reflection of our provision.

“The recommendations were just small tweaks we need to make and they’re easily done. In fact, pre-covid, they were done, but things have been a bit different and it has brought to our attention that we hadn’t reverted back to what we did before.”

Ms Sidgwick said she was especially pleased with the fact the inspectors had spoken to children at the pre-school, which she said gave a real feel for the setting, and with the positive comments given by parents.

The report said:

“Parents are exceptionally happy with the care their children receive. They describe the pre-school as ‘phenomenal’, and that staff are ‘fantastic and always smiling’.

“They are happy with the communication they receive and say it is a ‘safe and happy environment’ for their children to be in.”