Official report praises strong performance of Cowgate nursery
It’s obvious from the minute you walk into the Cowgate Under Fives Centre that the children there are happy, relaxed and enjoying a very special environment.
The centre caters for up to 76 pre-school children aged from just six weeks to five years, from a mix of backgrounds and circumstances.
When you look more closely you soon realise that such tranquility doesn’t just happen, but is made possible through the vision and dedication of the centre’s manager, Lynn McNair, with a lot of hard work and support from all of her staff.
Being awarded what is probably Scotland’s best ever pre-school inspection report is a real stamp of approval for their work.
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It’s an accomplishment that everybody involved can be very proud of.
HM Inspectorate of Education and the Care Commission jointly published a report in mid-March following an inspection of the centre in January.
The report praises the centre’s high performance, strong record of improvement and very effective leadership.
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The report highlights the children’s excellent progress in all aspects of their learning and the outstanding quality of staff interaction.
The staff’s commitment to the care, welfare and inclusion of children got special mention, along with the exceptional leadership of Lynn and her deputies.
Inspectors also commended the way that everyone shares in the centre’s vision, values and aim.
This is a fine tribute to the efforts of a great staff team but it also recognises the big contribution of parents in supporting learning and the life of the centre.
Naturally, Lynn is delighted with the report but is keen to share the credit.
“Our members of staff are highly motivated and have really earned this very high praise,” she said.
“We are fortunate to have exceptional parents working with us and they are generous with their support in many ways. Of course, the children are our main inspiration.
“They work together to lead their own little learning community, supported by our skilled staff and their families.”
Quite unusually, the inspectors took an exceptional step in not making any recommendations for further change. So, in that sense, you can’t fault them!