THE head of a Blackburn nursery has described the 'wonderful accomplishment' of being awarded the highest grading by Ofsted.

The Coach House Nursery in Shear Bank Road has been rated as 'outstanding' following an inspection last month.

The education watchdog said the centre was 'good' in November 2011.

It was set up in 2003 and currently has 49 children on its roll with 50 places in total.

Lead inspector Sue Ranson said: "Children in the nursery are very happy and confident.

"They have excellent relationships with key persons, who know them extremely well and show genuine concern for them.

"The provider ensures that children are kept as safe as possible."

The report described the quality of the teaching as being 'consistently of an extremely high standard because the staff are highly qualified and continue to take professional development opportunities'.

The nursery cares for children from birth up to five-years-old and the inspector also said: "Staff focus on the children's individual needs and ensure that they make the best possible progress from their starting points.

"Staff use very accurate and comprehensive assessments and observations of the children to identify what they need to learn or experience next and this information is immediately used to plan very well targeted activities.

"The timely way in which this is done ensures that opportunities for learning are quickly identified and used to best advantage.

"The management team is dedicated to improving the work of the nursery at all times.

"It ensures that the staff practice is exemplary and that staff continue to develop their professional knowledge and understanding.

"Managers observe and discuss practice knowledgeably and provide well targeted training for staff.

"Relationships between the nursery staff and the children's parents and families are very warm and welcoming.

"Parents speak very highly of the nursery and emphasise that they are completely happy with the care and teaching provided."

Headteacher and director Susan Westmoreland said: "We are delighted to confirm that we have achieved an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ grading in all categories.

"I have always felt that we have a unique nursery, one that benefits from the highly qualified and dedicated staff, strong partnerships that exist with parents and children and the family atmosphere that encourages a safe and positive learning environment.

"To have Ofsted confirm our ‘outstanding’ practice and to have parents praise the calm, caring atmosphere is a wonderful accomplishment.

"I would like to thank the staff, parents and children for being part of our Coach House Nursery community in a journey that begun, for us here, 12 years ago."