Parents have spoken of the “joy and pride” they felt after seeing Alton College Nursery’s Ofsted grading rise from ‘inadequate’ in April to ‘good’ in October.

Its latest Ofsted report said “children access a wealth of exciting experiences to ignite their interests and learn about the world”, that “all children enjoy their time at nursery – they are happy and confident”, and “children benefit from fresh air and exercise in the nursery’s well-planned garden”.

Both of Beth Shaw’s children attended the nursery. She said: “My daughter has since gone into her reception year at school and I cannot thank the staff at the nursery enough for all they have done to help encourage and flourish her independence and love for learning.

“We are so proud that our children have been a part of the nursery and are so pleased the most recent Ofsted report has identified the values that have always been so apparent to us.”

Ben and Poppy Bastin sent both their children there. They added: “Our children receive the utmost standards of care and attention. They feel safe and have developed strong relationships with staff and long lasting friendships with their peers. We were pleased to see the new report that gives a much better picture of what our girls have enjoyed so much about their time at nursery.”

Changes since the April report include a larger space for children aged up to two and a new sleep space. Nursery manager Jo Osgood said: “It has been fantastic to hear that our families have had such a positive experience with Alton College Nursery. We feel the new report properly reflects our ethos and values as a nursery.”