IT WAS a good start to the New Year for a Basingstoke nursery which has been graded as “outstanding” by Ofsted.

An inspector from the education watchdog visited Alphabet City Day Nursery, in Highfields, Sherborne Road, on January 5, and in a report published on January 26, said: “Staff create dynamic, visually appealing and purposeful learning environments where they nurture children’s growing abilities to discover, reflect, study and imagine.”

It added: “The leadership and management of the nursery excel in driving forward improvements to reach increasingly high standards of education and care for children in each age group. They are ably supported by the whole team.”

The nursery, which has 82 children on roll, registered in 2007 and is one of two nurseries in the town privately owned by the same provider – the other of which is based in Cliddesden Road.

To improve, Ofsted asked Alphabet City to “continue to develop and implement plans for the outer garden to further enhance opportunities for children to explore expressive arts.”

Emma Agozzino, nursery manager, said: “Our nursery was previously graded “good” but we have worked very hard as a team to achieve this.”