NURSERY education in Blackburn and Darwen has received a vote of confidence, following independent inspections at three pre-school centres in the borough.

The schools watchdog body Ofsted, said Bangor Parental Partnership Pre School, Higher Audley Pre School and St Barnabas Parental Partnership Pre School provided good programmes and a wide range of activities.

At the Bangor Centre, based in Norwich Street, Blackburn, most children achieved the required levels of learning by the age of five, the inspectors said in their report.

The pre-school was told it operated an excellent programme for knowledge and understanding of the world, teaching was described as being of a high quality and children for whom English is not a first language were well supported.

St Barnabas, based in Addison Close, Blackburn, was told it operates excellent programmes for personal and social development and for language and literacy.

The multi-cultural approach was a strong feature with bilingual staff operating at the centre and emphasising good manners and behaviour.

Higher Audley Pre School, based at St Paul's Church Rooms, Higher Audley Street, Blackburn, was praised by inspectors for promoting knowledge and understanding of its use of the local area.

The inspectors report said quality of teaching was good and staff worked well as a team creating a happy and caring atmosphere and added that the emphasis was correctly placed on development of language, literacy and mathematics.

All three pre schools were given minor criticism to act upon before their next Ofsted inspections.

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