A SMALL pre-school nursery which faces an uncertain future has won top marks from Ofsted inspectors.

Strawberry Fields Pre-School has already been forced to close on Tuesdays after being hit by falling rolls because the infant school it feeds at Stone is facing closure.

The proposed closure of the village school, as part of plans to replace three-tier education in Wyre Forest with the two-tier system, is also affecting the nursery's ability to recruit.

Administrator, Tracey Malpass, said they had been without a pre-school leader since September and were desperately looking for a replacement.

Despite the difficulties, the nursery, at Stone Parish Hall, received an excellent Ofsted report in which staff were praised for providing very good quality education.

It was judged to be "very good" in all areas of learning, ranging from personal, social and emotional development to mathematical development.

The inspectors found there were no significant weaknesses and the only area for improvement was to give more opportunities for children to discuss the changes that take place to their bodies after physical exercise.

Mrs Malpass said the nursery, which could take a maximum of 12 children per session, had originally been in Chaddesley Corbett and then Harvington before moving to Stone a few years ago.

"We have a lovely setting here but there is a possibility that the nursery could move again if the school is closed," she added.