Teaching staff at Hambledon Nursery School can enjoy the summer break in the knowledge of a job well done after the government’s inspection body Ofsted awarded it an “outstanding” rating.

All schools are visted periodically by Ofsted inspectors and judged as either Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate. Hambledon Nursery School had been judged as outstanding following previous inspections.

Staff knew that another Ofsted inspection was due but had no advanced knowledge of when it would take place. In the event the inspectors visited in June and the report is now available online at

www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/CARE/EY472201

Open the page and find the link to a PDF document headed Early Years Register inspection report.

Nicola Collett, head teacher, said that staff and parents were delighted with the outcome. She said the report highlighted the professionalism of teachers and how engaged children were in their learning.

The school was originally the village state primary school. When it closed in the 1980s residents were determined to see it remain at the heart of the community as a place of learning.  A campaign led to the acquisition of the Victorian school house complete with playground and its reopening as a nursery school run as a business by a charitable trust. It caters for children aged 2 to 5 and retains its strong links with the village, the church and the parish council.