SCHOOLS, nurseries and childminders in Worcestershire have been praised for providing outstanding' care and education for the county's young people.

A total of eight schools, 11 nurseries and day care centres, 13 childminders and one pupil referral unit have been included in a report identifying the country's best providers.

All 33 were judged as outstanding' in their recent Ofsted inspections, joining the 1,922 other celebrated in the Annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills 2006/07.

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills, Christine Gilbert, said: "I am delighted to recognise, publicly, such outstanding provision across all areas of education and care and to pay tribute to all who contributed to this success.

"Schools and colleges which have been categorised as outstanding in each of their inspection reports over the past fifteen years are especially deserving of our commendation.

"I am particularly pleased to congratulate those schools previously judged by the former Ofsted to be inadequate which have been transformed over the last few years and are now providing outstanding education."

In Worcestershire St John's Pupil Referral Unit in Worcester, which was previously deemed to have serious weaknesses, is listed after it achieved an outstanding' Ofsted report this year.

Also included is Hanbury First CofE School, Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School, the Vale of Evesham School and it is the second appearance on the list for Prince Henry's High School in Evesham.

Hanbury school's headteacher Elfyn Charles said of their outstanding achievement: "We are absolutely delighted. To be judged as outstanding is no small achievement."

And at Broadwas headteacher Sandra Logan said: "I feel that it's the result of our hard work over the past eight years and is a tribute to the whole team - teachers, parents, governors, parishioners and of course the children themselves."

Those Worcestershire providers judged to be outstanding this year are: Schools Blakebrook Special Broadwas CofE Aided Primary Bromsgrove Lickey End First Chadsgrove Special in Bromsgrove Hagley Primary Hanbury CofE First Prince Henry's High School in Evesham Vale of Evesham School Day Care providers Alphabet House in Evesham Alvechurch & Bordesley Nursery School Ducklings Day Nursery in Stourbridge Evesham Nursery School Hagley Primary School Kindergarten Madresfield Early Years Centre in Malvern Noah's Ark Nursery in Redditch Sneakers Kids Club at Harry Taylor in Redditch Sneakers Kids Club at Oak Hill in Redditch St Catherine's Childcare in Kidderminster Tan Lane Pre-School Nursery in Stouport on Severn Childminders Paula Martine Bishop Penelope Mary Buncle Catt Grainne Rachael Diane Green Felicity Melley Sian O'Neill Janet Roberts Karen Simpson Five other unidentified childminders are also included in the list Pupil Referral Units St John's in Worcester