CHILDREN are being given a great start in life at an outstanding nursery school.

St Anne Line Catholic Infant School and Nursery, Wickhay, Basildon received top marks from inspectors during an Ofsted visit at the start of this school year.

Inspectors commented on the thriving pupils and fantastic teaching.

Headteacher Angela Russell said: “We are delighted that our nursery has been recognised to be outstanding by Ofsted.

“Our excellent report reflects the hard work and dedication of all staff.

“Parents are proud to highly recommend our setting to their friends.”

The nursery has 57 children aged between two and four-years-old.

The education watchdog rated the infant school and nursery as outstanding in all assessed areas including quality of teaching.

It was previously rated as good.

The report states: “The dedicated staff set extremely clear and consistent boundaries for children’s behaviour.

“This helps children to feel secure and they rapidly understand the rules and routines of the nursery.

“Staff set children tasks to help them feel a sense of responsibility and to successfully build their confidence and independence.”

The watchdog noted staff are extremely secure in their knowledge of safeguarding procedures and how to protect the children in their care.

The report added: “They have an excellent understanding of all safeguarding matters and are confident in their ability to identify and report any concerns.

“All staff receive training in safeguarding every year to ensure their knowledge is current.

“Children’s safety is paramount to staff and they are fully aware of the signs and symptoms that could indicate a risk to children’s well-being.”

The inspectors found that staff regularly check for any hazards in the play environment to ensure that children stay safe.

The report states children are enthusiastic as they listen to exciting stories and sing along, performing actions to rhymes.

It says the children sit still and listen attentively as staff ask them what they enjoyed about their day.