'˜Inspirational' nursery gets '˜outstanding' rating

Toybox Nursery, which currently looks after 104 children aged 0-5, was given the top grade in all four categories.

The education watchdog visited the preschool on Market Street in May, and released the report at the end of June.

Inspector Michelle Lorains said in her report that the children make “outstanding progress” and that “parents are overwhelmed by their children’s rapid development.”

She said: “Older children are provided with rich experiences that prepare them exceptionally well for starting school.

“They show incredible skill and confidence in using letter sounds, and concentrate at the highest levels to use physical skills.”

The report also said that the younger children “communicate at an exceptional level and show an understanding of the world far beyond the expectations for their age,” while the managers and leaders were described as “highly committed, dedicated, and inspirational.”

The nursery was founded by Katie Khan and Hayley Castro in 2003.

It has been extended to include five rooms for children of different ages, a sensory room and four specific ‘outdoor experiences’.

The children also have weekly visits from sound and music specialist Jo Jingles, and go on trips to places including the Kirklees Light Railway, Eureka, and the local police and fire stations.

They even have a webcam set up for peace of mind so parents can log in securely and watch their children play.

Katie Khan, who co-owns the nursery, said, “We’ve worked hard.

“We always got good Ofsted reports, but you’re always striving for outstanding. Our hard work and commitment finally paid off.

“It’s really good, we’re very happy”.