A BURNLEY playgroup has been given the highest rating that Ofsted can award following a recent inspection.

Teddy's Playgroup, which is based at Rockwood Nursery School, was praised as 'outstanding' after a team of inspectors visited the centre.

Staff at the Kingsland Road playgroup were thrilled to achieve the top honour, which built on staff's hard work and the 'good' rating handed down by inspectors following a previous inspection in April 2012.

Lead inspector Maxine Phillips said: "The quality of teaching is outstanding. Staff provide an exceptional programme of challenging and exciting activities, both indoors and outside.

"As a result, children are highly motivated and eager to learn.

"The leadership team is fully committed and have a strong ambition to improve and maintain the highest levels of achievement.

"The programme of continuous professional development for staff is closely monitored to match the needs of the children and families who attend the playgroup.

"Staff use a variety of ways to maintain outstanding partnerships with parents, often tailored around each family's needs.

"Parents are kept well informed about their child's developmental progress and are encouraged to take an active part in planning for their child's next steps.

"The excellent key-person system ensures the early onset of strong relationships between staff and children.

"This fully supports children's transition into the setting and on to the next stage in their learning.

"Superb partnerships with parents and outside agencies mean that children's needs are identified from the outset, ensuring that all children's needs are exceptionally planned for and well supported.

"An astute system of observing, assessing and planning, which takes into account groups of children as well as individual children, ensures that all children make exceptional progress in their learning.

"The large, outdoor garden offers superb facilities to challenge and fully engage the children in their learning.

"They are able to assess their own abilities and take age appropriate risks in this safe, wonderful, natural environment."

She added that the centre could further improve by considering enhancing further, the small area outside to include some sensory resources for the children to access independently.

Cllr Tony Martin, who represents Burnley on Lancashire County Council, said: "It's a great achievement for everybody there and I would like to congratulate them.

"It's not a purpose-built building so they have done very well to overcome that."

The playgroup was registered in 2011 and has 32 children on its roll with 80 total places.