A GOVERNMENT inspector has rated a Keighley pre-school as "Good", praising it for its inclusive ethos and welcoming environment.

The recognition was awarded to Exley Head Pre-School, in Wheathead Lane, which caters for more than 50 youngsters.

Pre-school manager Diane England said: "I am very proud of all my staff. They work hard all year every year, and make my job easier.

"The relationships we build with our parents and carers is evident in the report, and it is something that is our priority. If you are taking care of anybody's child these relationships need to be strong.

"With inclusion being a big part of what all child care providers should be intrinsically aiming to do, for this to be included in the Ofsted report made our team very happy indeed.

"A special thanks also to our pre-school committee, whose members give their time on a voluntary basis and support all my ideas to bring the pre-school forward."

Ofsted inspectors use four grades to assess performance, with one being outstanding, two being good, three being requires improvement and four being inadequate.

The inspector who assessed Exley Head Pre-School concluded that it was worthy of a good rating, singling out its excellent relationships with the parents of its children.

Her report noted: "The parents feel that their children have made excellent progress since attending the pre-school and they are kept very well informed.

"For example, children's next steps in their learning are shared so that parents can support their learning at home.

"Parents' contributions are highly valued and play an important part in helping staff to gain the most accurate picture of children's all round development."

The inspector added: "Staff ensure children are happy and enjoy their time, by finding out about children's needs, likes and dislikes and talking to parents on an ongoing basis.

"They provide a warm and welcoming environment to help children feel safe and secure.

"'The pre-school's special educational needs co-ordinator is extremely knowledgeable, experienced and passionate in her role.

"Excellent teaching strategies are employed to meet children's specific needs and to promote their development. As a result, children are well supported to make consistently good progress in their learning."

The inspector explained that for the pre-school to reach an "Outstanding" grade one, it needs to seize additional opportunities to improve the quality of its teaching by sharing best practice, and by engaging with its children even more extensively.