BUCKLAND St Mary Preschool is celebrating having achieved an outstanding Ofsted status.

Inspectors from Ofsted singled out the teaching standards and children's development for praise.

The report concludes: "The quality of teaching is excellent, and the children are not only achieving expected levels of development, but many are exceeding them.

"Children are highly confident, emotionally secure, and lively and inquisitive, but extremely well-behaved.

"They show kindness and respect for each other and have excellent relationships with staff, who have developed excellent strategies to encourage parents to support learning.

"The staff also demonstrate an extremely good understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and procedures to safeguard the children are very thorough and implemented rigorously."

A preschool spokesman said: "This is a very exciting time for everyone who is involved with the preschool, we work tirelessly to maintain standards of teaching and learning and to ensure that each child is given a happy, healthy and enjoyable developmental support programme unique to individual needs.

"A big thank you to everyone to involved, we are extremely pleased that our wonderful preschool has formally been recognised as an outstanding happy place to be."

Places are now available for September 2015, contact 01460 234303, or bucklandstmarypreschool@outlook.com to book your place.