STAFF, parents and pupils at a pre-school in Grimley, just outside Worcester, are celebrating after being named outstanding in an inspection.

The St Bartholomew's Pre-school was inspected in January, and a report containing the findings has now been published by Ofsted.

Its last inspection in September 2015 resulted in a "good" rating.

The report says that staff "show an obvious dedication and enjoyment to their role and are proud of children's achievements".

Children with special needs are supported well, and staff are swift to identify concerns with children's development.

The pre-school's partnership with its parents is described as "exemplary", and parents say their children are "very happy and enjoy their time at pre-school".

The sole area for improvement that the report identifies is that the school should carry out proposed changes to the outdoor area, and monitor the impact the changes have on children's learning and development.

The pre-school, which has 29 children on its register, is open from Mondays to Fridays at its site next to the village primary school.

The report says: "Staff develop exceptional working relationships with the school. They work closely with the reception teacher and head teacher to share information and ensure that children are prepared for school. Children have lunch in the school hall to help them to become familiar with the school environment and routines."

Rachel Welch, the pre-school manager, said: "We're absolutely delighted with the report.

"We had a lovely inspector and although it was one of those days when everything went wrong, the staff managed to improvise their way through and we obviously impressed the inspector. I'm so proud of my staff.

"We share a site with the primary school, and although we are independent, we have really strong links with the school."