Dudley Preschool is celebrating after receiving a ‘good’ report from Ofsted following its first inspection in six years.
Located in North Tyneside Council’s John Willie Sams Centre, the preschool offers Early Years Foundation for children aged between two and five years old.
Having waited six years for the inspection which took place in October, the team at the preschool have retained the settings previous result of ‘good’ against an even more stringent set of criteria.
The glowing report describes the centre as a ‘happy and nurturing environment’ where the children benefit from ‘quickly forming strong and caring bonds’ and where they ‘feel safe and confident’.
Inspectors praised all elements of the service, including the strong parent partnerships, the relationships between staff and the children and the support for children with Special Educational Needs (SEND).
The preschool also supports children to develop an enthusiasm for learning, from ‘developing secure understanding of mathematics’ to encouraging children to use the library in the building to enjoy books.
Manager of the preschool Julie Weightman is filled with pride after receiving the report, she said: “I was delighted to start this academic year with a ‘Good’ outcome from our Ofsted inspection. The report is a real testament to the hard work by all of our staff since our last inspection and the inspector seemed to understand the essence of our setting and the community we serve.
“Here in our base at the John Willie Sams Centre we work hard to offer a happy place to learn, grow and thrive and encompass the wider services the centre has to offer so that parents and families are not left to cope alone in this ever-changing society.
“I could not be prouder of our team. They consistently ensured that our children and their families have remained at the centre of what we do.”
At a time when childcare availability has fallen sharply due to regional changes in its cost, the pre-school has worked with the North Tyneside Business Factory, supported by the European Regional Development Fund to access business support.
Toni Clark, Social Enterprise Advisor for the Business Factory said: “I’ve worked with Julie and her team from the beginning of their business journey, and it’s been wonderful to support them to maintain this excellent service to the community.
“Like most childcare settings government funding does not cover their costs and running a social business in the current climate puts increasing pressure on the team to find ways of addressing inflation and rising operational costs, whilst balancing this with demands for places and support for struggling families.
“This positive Ofsted report comes at the right time and will boost the confidence of everyone involved to continue striving to provide this much needed service.”
Cllr Steven Phillips, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning, said: “We have a fantastic childcare sector here in North Tyneside that provides care, support, and education to our young people.
“It’s great to see Dudley Preschool thriving, and it’s brilliant recognition for everyone involved in the service to have Ofsted inspectors speaking so highly of the service they provide. I’d like to congratulate everyone involved and thank them for the dedication they show to the children they look after.”
Dudley Preschool is open in term time for children aged two to five years old, and funded places are available for eligible children.
