A pre-school's "dream came true" after being rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted for the first time in its history.

The Little Rascals Pre-School in Ipswich first became an Ofsted registered education provider in 2001, and in that time have had 'Good' and 'Requires Improvement' ratings.

21 years after registering, however, the pre-school has its first 'Outstanding' grading.

Ofsted described the pre-school as 'exceptional' and children thrive in the 'nurturing and highly vibrant environment.'

Carly Allard, manager, said: "This result is like a dream come true.

"I can't quite believe it and I am still a bit gobsmacked at the result.

"I am extremely proud of my amazing team and all their hard work and dedication they put into the setting, children and families.

"It's been a challenging few years, but it is amazing to finally be recognised for what we do as a setting and the care we provide."

Mrs Allard is one of just four members of staff at the pre-school, with all being praised in the Ofsted report, saying 'staff's focus on children's speech and language skills is exceptional' and ' the quality of teaching across the pre-school is outstanding'.

Ipswich Star: The pre-school setting has had its first 'Outstanding' since openingThe pre-school setting has had its first 'Outstanding' since opening (Image: Carly Allard)

It also said: 'The manager is passionate about providing the highest quality care and learning' and 'she successfully leads a very dedicated staff team, who consistently state they are extremely well supported.'

Children were praised heavily also, with the report noting that children are 'constantly engages and completely immersed in learning'.

It also noted that children 'show high levels of imagination and a sense of wonder in their learning.'

Mrs Allard continued: "Parents have been so supportive of us, the report only came out recently and I immediately had messages of congratulations and people saying they are happy they send their children to us."

Inspectors saw how parents and staff share the same passion and that parents describe how independent their children are since starting at the pre-school.

The report praised the provision for children with SEND, labelling it as 'superb'.