Great Aycliffe Town Council staff and councillors are celebrating after St Oswald’s Pre-School was graded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted following an inspection visit on 20th January 2023.
The Town Council run pre-school has been assessed as outstanding on all aspects of the inspection including quality of education, behaviour, personal development, and leadership and management.
This brilliant achievement is testament to the leadership of Pre-School Manager, Julie, ably supported by Deputy Manager Abbey, and the dedication and commitment of the staff team Tracey, Terri, Emily, Laura, Rhianne and Vikki, and is a fitting reward for all of their hard work over the last few years.
The Inspection Report is available to read on the council and pre-school websites.
Julie Gale, Pre-School Manager, commented: “The pre-school has gone from strength to strength and has received a huge transformation over the last few years. I could not be happier that we as a team have received such great recognition but it is an achievement that we could not have reached without the support of our families and children who attend St. Oswald’s Pre-School. We are extremely proud of the result we have been awarded and look forward to continuing to provide an enriched and nurturing learning environment for all of our children and to continue in working in partnership with our wonderful families. I would also like to acknowledge the Council’s Pre-School Sub-Committee for putting their faith and trust in me to run the pre-school facility.”
Dan Austin, Town Clerk for the Town Council, added: “I could not be prouder of Julie and the staff for this achievement as I know they have all worked tirelessly to make St Oswald’s such a brilliant pre-school, implementing all sorts of improvements to the facilities, learning activities and care of the children, and working to keep the pre-school open all through the pandemic when many other businesses and organisations were closed. It was particularly touching reading some of the comments from the parents and realising how much they value the pre-school and the care their children receive.”
The Chairman of the Council’s Pre-School Sub-Committee, Councillor Bob Fleming, added: “On behalf of the councillors of Great Aycliffe Town Council I would like to thank Julie and the team for their hard work in making St Oswald’s one of the best pre-schools in the county. Gaining an outstanding rating from Ofsted is no mean feat and I am very proud that the Town Council can offer such a fantastic facility to the parents and children of the Parish.”
Photography by Amy Thor Photography.