A community nursery school in Handbridge is over the moon with its outstanding Ofsted report.

St Mary’s Community Nursery, on Old Wrexham Road, received the good news it had retained its top of the league status following a two day inspection by the watchdog.

The average sized school, which is on the same site as Overleigh St Mary’s CE Primary School, provides morning and afternoon sessions and offers care for children in Early Bird, Lunch and Tea Timers Clubs.

It now has 65 children on roll aged three to five compared with 102 at the previous inspection in 2012.

All four main aspects of the ‘warm and caring’ nursery, including the leadership and management of the school, the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement, were again found to be exceptional by Ofsted.

Inspector Elaine White says the passion for excellence and considerable experience and commitment of head teacher Ken Jones ensures high quality provision is effectively shared with staff and governors, chaired by Ian Roe.

They ‘never sit still’ as there is always a way to improve.

As a result, the school has maintained its outstanding effectiveness since the previous inspection.

There has been no complacency and the outstanding quality of teaching has been sustained through measures which ensure it continues to develop and improve.

The nursery provides ‘an extremely harmonious learning environment’ in which all children are valued as individuals and all groups of children achieve highly.

Information gathered about children’s progress is used exceptionally well to plan activities and learning and staff have high expectations for children’s behaviour and their learning.

As a result, children’s behaviour is exemplary.

The children feel very safe and secure and rapidly become confident learners.

They make excellent progress.

Governors provide a high level of support to the head teacher and challenge the school to ensure the high quality of provision is sustained.

Parents speak ‘very highly’ of the school.

During her visit, the inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents and also spoke to several parents.

The school is open to all children from the Chester area regardless of which primary school they will attend. For more information telephone 01244 981222 or email admin@stmarysnursery.cheshire.sch.uk.