A nursery in Bishopston is celebrating after receiving a glowing report from Ofsted inspectors.

Moon River Nursery and Pre-School is a "warm and welcoming" environment where children "thrive", according to the report which was published on August 29.

Nursery Manager Emma Silvester said she was delighted with the report, which awarded Moon River an overall rating of 'Good'.

"We are extremely happy with the outcome and feel it truly reflects the hard work, dedication, and passion shown by the whole team," she said. "The inspector observed so many wonderful moments during the day - from the caring interactions between staff and children, to the engaging and stimulating activities that brought our curriculum to life."

Ms Silvester said she was especially happy with the inspectors' description of the nursery as somewhere children grew independently and enjoyed what they were doing.

"It was particularly pleasing to hear how impressed they were with the children's independence, confidence, and enjoyment of learning," she said. "We couldn't be prouder of both our team and the children."

Moon River opened its doors in 2017, and now has 104 children aged between three months and five years old enrolled. The nursery follows the Reggio Emilia teaching philosophy, which places an emphasis on the personalities children develop even at very young ages, and giving each individual the ability and encouragement to express themselves.

Ofsted inspectors said this approach was paying off across all age groups at the private nursery. The rating of 'Good' is the second highest available grade in an Ofsted report, behind 'Outstanding' and ahead of 'Requires Improvement' and 'Inadequate'.

Moon River scored a 'Good' rating across all four areas examined by inspectors. The criteria were: the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

The only slight negative highlighted by inspectors was the feeling that teachers could challenge some children a bit more.

"At times, some interactions lack purpose and do not fully support children's focus or offer an appropriate level of challenge for the most-able children," the report said.

However, it added: "In the baby room, staff encourage the youngest children to feed themselves, offering gentle support when necessary...In the toddler room, children take responsibility for tidying up after activities, learning to care for their environment."

"In the preschool room, children serve their own snack and pour their drinks. This helps children build confidence and prepares them for school. These everyday opportunities help children develop their self-care skills and a sense of responsibility."