Story by Tim Jotischky.

Sudbrook School in Petersham has been rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted for the third successive inspection, making it one of the top-rated nurseries in the country.

The school, which offers day care for children aged one to four, was rated Outstanding in every category: quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management.

The inspection report follows previous Outstanding reports in 2016 and 2010, a feat achieved by only around 1% of nurseries in the country.

Sudbrook has been at the heart of the community for more than 60 years, teaching generations of children from local families. The school is based in a Village Hall on Bute Avenue, a quiet private road which backs on to Richmond Park. It is co-owned by Jo Jotischky, a local resident whose daughters attended the school, and Jackie Mitchell, a former primary school head.

The inspection report says:

"Children develop exceptionally strong bonds with staff in this warm and welcoming setting. They feel safe and secure because of the attentive and caring nature of staff. Children's behaviour and attitudes to learning are inspirational. They show extremely high levels of respect for each other and the resources they play with.

All children, including those with special educational needs/and or disabilities, make excellent progress from their starting points. Children are highly motivated and eager to learn. They show wonderfully high levels of engagement and enthusiasm as staff follow their unfolding interests.

Staff confidence to deliver the curriculum is very evident. They know the children extremely well and…support children's physical development superbly.

Staff tell the inspector that the setting is a wonderful place to work and that they feel totally supported by the manager. They complete highly effective professional development and training, which enriches the provision.

Partnership with parents is outstanding. The manager and staff fully understand children's needs and support families exceptionally well. Parents say that they feel completely involved in decisions regarding their children. They speak highly about the excellent support their children receive in preparation for their transition to school.

Children are highly motivated to learn, and they demonstrate consistently positive attitudes to their play and learning…children of all ages enjoy stimulating and exciting learning opportunities outdoors. Staff are highly successful at taking intelligent and swift action to support children who encounter difficulties. All staff have excellent knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues...and children are taught to manage risks safely".

School principal Jo Jotischky said:

"We are delighted to have received a third successive Outstanding report from Ofsted, which is testament to the leadership of our head, Mrs Goli Adl, and the dedication of all our staff. We are fortunate to have very supportive parents, who value the school's approach to nursery education, and we are always happy to welcome new families to Sudbrook.

We pride ourselves on offering a very flexible nursery provision, from our toddlers' Bear Club through to pre-school education, because we know it is important to parents. Unlike most nurseries, we allow parents of toddlers to choose how many hours or days a week they want their child to attend. We are also able to offer some fully funded places, which we know makes a real difference to families in these difficult times."

To inquire about a place for your child: https://www.sudbrookschool.co.uk/admissions/