Shipdham playgroup praised

A community playgroup at Shipdham has been hailed as 'outstanding' in every category of its new Ofsted report.

Government inspectors gave the top mark to Shipdham Playgroup after visiting its purpose-built centre within the grounds of the Thomas Bullock Primary School in the village.

The playgroup was applauded for its overall provision, and given the 'outstanding' rating in all 17 audit categories, including the effectiveness of its management and the outcomes for children.

In her report, Ofsted inspector Elizabeth Dickson said: 'All children have their individual needs met to an outstanding standard, owing to the caring and knowledgeable staff team who recognise the uniqueness of each child and ensure that everyone feels a valued member of the group.

'Children make rapid progress towards the early learning goals because a stimulating range of learning experiences is provided. All staff and committee members, parents and children are involved in extensively self evaluating the provision on a regular basis, enabling the management to continue to develop and extend the high quality of provision offered.'

The report also praises the 'strong and cohesive sense of teamwork' among the staff, and says the well-planned curriculum meant all children made outstanding progress in their learning and development

'The inspirational and enthusiastic leadership of the playgroup manager, supported by a strong and loyal team of highly-skilled and dedicated staff, underpin the success of Shipdham Playgroup,' it says. 'They provide exceptional care and many opportunities for children's learning and development.'

Shipdham Playgroup has been established for more than 20 years and is owned and run by the parents of its children, together with paid staff. It has been operating from its current base since 2001.