Top marks for nursery school (From Penarth Times)

Top marks for nursery school

COGAN nursery school has been awarded a national quality mark for Basic Skills which it received from the countrywide director.

The Cawnpore Street site was rewarded for its high standard of teaching at a special ceremony on Wednesday.

Headmistress Chris Hodge said: "We are very proud of the staff who have worked so hard to obtain this level of good tuition."

She added: "The awards have only been in existence for three years, so the school's achievement is all the more exciting."

Each weekday there are 60 pupils at the school, with 30 in the morning and 30 in the afternoon.

A class has ten pupils in it and the nursery has three teachers with three nursery classroom assistants.

The curriculum has to be followed, and ten key elements, ranging from literacy to mathematics, are adhered to.

Chris Hodge commented: "It is good that the staff receive the credit they deserve, which shows how well the school is performing.

Each member of staff has worked hard to gain this accolade."

Director of Basic Skills, Allan Wells, said: "It always encourages me to see a nursery school gain our prestigious Quality Mark.

I have a particular commitment to education in the early years, because they are so important in terms of later achievement."

He added: "I was very impressed with the work at Cogan Nursery School and they well deserve the Quality Mark.

If we had nursery schools as good as Cogan everywhere, we would give all children a first rate early years education."

Chris Hodge concluded: "It is very important to give children a good start in education.

If they are taught well at nursery it will help them in later life, because the children will know the basics.

Our teachers enjoy their jobs and like to see the pupils gain in confidence."