A Barnard Castle nursery and daycare centre has enjoyed a double celebration of an excellent inspection report and the opening of a new £40,000 garden area this week.
The town mayor, Cllr Paul Ing, was on hand to perform the opening of Green Lane Nursery and Daycare Centre on Monday and also to congratulate staff on their Ofsted report.
The report found the centre had a “strong standard” of behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines; children’s welfare and well-being; inclusion, and leadership and governance.
The centre also achieved the expected standard in achievement and curriculum and teaching.
This is in stark contrast to a previous report which found it inadequate in some areas.
Manager Mel Mitchell said: “We are delighted. It was a stressful six months. We were totally gutted but we have turned it around.
“It was quite tricky because the inspection we had in November was under a totally different framework, and it all changed.
“We had to kind of get our heads around the new framework, but luckily it went well.
Business manager Jemma Fletcher said the nursery had invested £40,000 in its new garden area.
She added: “It was one of the areas we hadn’t developed yet.
“We umm-ed and ahh-ed for quite a long time over it because of our lease, but we decided that we were just going to do it.”
Cllr Ing enjoyed a tour of facility, which has a roll of more than120 children.
He said: “You wouldn’t believe how many people come through here and the size of it, it is massive. Honestly it is a tremendous asset to the community.
“The spirit in there is just fantastic.”
