Teesside nursery celebrates ‘outstanding’ Ofsted hat-trick

Treetops Nursery, which is based at Thornaby Pavilion Leisure Centre, is managed by Tees Active, a charitable trust running leisure activities and venues on behalf of Stockton Borough Council.

Areas highlighted for praise in the inspection report included Treetops’ exceptional teaching and staff expertise, an inspiring curriculum, its leadership team, safeguarding, and positive links with families and the wider community.

Dawn Mulgrew, Treetops Supervisor, has worked for the nursery for more than 30 years since joining on a student placement studying childcare.

She said: “The key to Treetops’ success is treating everyone as an individual, so learning is tailored to each child’s needs.

“We try to make sure every child gets the opportunity to reach their full potential. The team are absolutely brilliant.

“They all do extra training above and beyond what’s required, because they really want to understand every child that comes in and do their best for them.

“We know in our hearts that we are Outstanding, but it is nice to have that confirmed and to see our nursery through someone else’s eyes.”

Inspectors wrote that “children thrive in a nurturing, stimulating environment that promotes curiosity and independence”. They make rapid progress across all areas of learning, often exceeding developmental expectations.

Chris Harrington, General Manager of Thornaby Pavilion, said: “This fantastic report is a result of the meticulous preparation the team do every day.

“To achieve an Outstanding rating is something to celebrate – to get Outstanding three times in a row makes us proud beyond words.

“I’m confident that Ofsted could turn up any day of the week, completely unannounced, and the team and the setting would achieve the same result. They are that good – that ‘outstanding’!”

The inspectors, who based their report on a visit earlier this year, added: “Leadership is inspirational, driving continuous improvement and fostering a culture of excellence throughout the setting.”

Councillor Clare Besford, Stockton Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, added: “We are thrilled to see these first-class standards being maintained so consistently at Treetops Nursery. To be judged as ‘outstanding’ once is an achievement to be proud of – to do it three times in a row over an extended period is truly exceptional and testament to an outstanding team.”

Leon Jones, Tees Active’s Managing Director, said: “We have a fantastic team who are wholly committed to the children and creating the best experience possible to nurture development and inspire creativity. To get the hat-trick with Ofsted is a remarkable achievement for everyone involved.”