Riverside Pre-school has received a hard-to-achieve ‘Outstanding’ rating following an inspection by the government’s watchdog Ofsted in September.
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Based in an independent unit within Bitterne Park Primary School on Manor Farm Road, it was the first routine inspection the early years setting had received since the pandemic began.
The community pre-school, which is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), achieved an ‘Outstanding’ rating in each category – for the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
Said Ofsted in its report [pdf from Ofsted]: “Children are happy and settle extremely quickly. They greet staff with smiling faces. Staff are impeccable role models. They treat children respectfully, which inspires children to treat their friends with respect and kindness.“
It added: “Children's well-being is of paramount importance and staff are mindful of this in everything that they do.”
The pre-school works with over 100 families in the area and has wide community links. It was also rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2018, prior to registering as a CIO. It reportedly closed its other setting at St Denys Church in July “due to lack of staffing”, with staff being moved to the Bitterne Park site.