A PRE-school for children in Worcester has been praised by government inspectors, who said "children are motivated, enthusiastic and keen to learn".

Ofsted has judged the Ladybird Pre-School Playgroup as good' overall in its latest inspection report. Manager Dawn Tracey said: "We are really pleased with the report. The inspector said we were bordering on outstanding."

The inspector said: "Children socialise well, are busy and engage in purposeful and meaningful activities throughout the sessions. They use the well-resourced environment to learn new skills and are very well supported by friendly and knowledgeable staff."

The education watchdog praised the staff at the pre-school, which is based at Lyppard Grange Comm-unity Centre in Ankerage Green. It said: "Staff plan interesting activities and make very good use of the available resources to motivate children and to help them try new and different experiences. The effectiveness of curriculum planning for all children is achieved because each staff member takes responsibility for a small group of children as their key worker.

"They successfully use observations and discussions with parents and carers to devise individual play plans for each child. This ensures each individual child is given the opportunity to develop at their own pace."

The inspectors said children develop a positive understanding of the wider world as they play with special resources that help them to acknowledge a diverse society. Organisation at the pre-school was good and the inspectors said: "The organisation of all aspects of the setting has developed and improved with a strong focus on developing the outdoor play facilities. A happy, relaxed and friendly environment is offered where children are safe, and well cared for."

LADYBIRD PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP: WHAT THE INSPECTOR SAID What the pre-school does well: The management and staff are committed to developing high quality through continual review and monitoring.

Children's care is enhanced because of the expertise of staff and the good quality organisation.

Partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. Staff are very aware of the importance of involving parents and carers in the life of the setting and their children's development.

Children gain confidence in an environment where they feel comfortable and secure. Their individuality is valued and staff help them to feel good about themselves by frequently providing positive support, praise and encouragement.

Children are enthusiastic and enjoy an interesting range of well-resourced creative activities.

What could be improved: Develop the organisation of the sessions to further encourage children's independence and to enable them to carry out tasks for themselves and develop basic skills.

Develop the information shared with the parents and carers to ensure they are given further opportunities to be involved in their children's learning in a variety of ways.