Hemingford Grey Playgroup has once again been awarded an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted mark, the highest award by the education watchdog.

Previously inspected in June 2011, the group based in St Ives Road, received the top mark in all four categories inspected by the organisation including the effectiveness of leadership & management, quality of teaching, learning & assessment, personal development, behaviour and welfare and outcomes for children.

Playgroup manager Sharon Howse said: “We are delighted to receive an outstanding rating again. A lot of work has gone into getting this result but we have a fantastic team who have worked incredibly hard.

“We have fantastic community spirit here at the nursery so everyone gets involved and the children are brilliant.”

On completion of the inspection last month the report praised staff as: “They provide a wealth of learning experiences that challenge and inspire children to want to know more.”

It also praises the increased learning staff are carrying out to teach children how to keep themselves safe: “Children are developing a very good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, they demonstrate how they will act in a potential emergency situation, such as responding to a fire drill.”