FANTASTIC leadership and an excellent understanding of how young children learn has been recognised at a north Hampshire pre-school which has just received glowing praise from Ofsted inspectors.

Busy Bees Pre-School in Kingsclere has been rated “outstanding” in all 14 categories covered by the stringent inspection.

Staff and parents with children at the facility – based at the Scout Hut in Strokins Road – are over the moon with the exceptional report, which was compiled following an inspection in January.

Maria Meredith, manager of Busy Bees, said: “The inspector said she doesn’t give “outstanding” ratings out lightly because the requirements from Ofsted are so stringent now, but she said she thought we tend to all the children’s needs.”

Speaking about the inspection, Mrs Meredith, 41, who has been at the helm of the pre-school for just over 11 years, said: “She (the inspector) spoke to us afterwards and said the leadership is fantastic, and I kept waiting for the ‘but’.

“She showed us all these notes with outstanding, and I said ‘right, outstanding is the best, what did we get?’.”

The pre-school, which has been running since 1976, was last inspected in 2006 and scored three “outstanding” and two “good” ratings – there were only five categories at that time.

Mrs Meredith puts the pre-school’s success down to teamwork.

She said: “I have got a fantastic team. The committee, staff and parents are all so supportive, and I think we evaluate everything we do.

“We are not afraid to change.”

In her report, Ofsted inspector Melissa Cox said the staff have an “excellent understanding of how young children learn” and that all children progress well and have their achievements recognised.

She added: “The manager and her staff team evaluate their provision fully, ensuring they continue to make improvements to the setting, promoting high quality care for all the children.”

The paramount importance of children’s welfare at the pre-school is also highlighted in the report, which evaluated effectiveness, leadership, management and quality and standards at the pre-school.

Plans are already in place for Busy Bees to have its own space in a new youth facility, which is set to be built on the Holding Field in Kingsclere, once funds have been secured.