A specialist pre-school centre for early years children with additional needs run by Brighton & Hove City Council has once again been rated ‘outstanding’ in all areas by Ofsted.
The Jeanne Saunders Centre offers intensive early learning and assessment to children with a range of complex needs including severe language delay and autistic spectrum conditions. It also offers support to their families and carers.
Inspectors said the ‘inspirational’ manager and staff go above and beyond to fully include all children and their families. They noted that:
- Staff are exceptionally calm, sensitive, nurturing and expert
- Children are happy, secure and motivated and make exceptional progress
- Parents are overwhelmingly appreciative of the support the centre gives them
- Staff work exceptionally closely with other agencies and specialists and put highly effective support in place for the children.
The manager of the Jeanne Saunders centre, Anne Rhodda, said: “I see every day how dedicated our staff are to building strong and trusting relationships with our children and their families.
“Young children’s development from birth to five years is an amazing journey, and it is a privilege to be able to help our children at this stage in their lives.”
The chair of the council’s children, young people and skills committee, Councillor John Allcock, said:
“The staff at the Jeanne Saunders centre are highly skilled, compassionate, and do an extraordinary job working with some of our city’s most vulnerable children.
“I’m thrilled that the inspectors have seen for themselves the immense benefits the children get from such an excellent learning and support environment.”