INSPECTORS have given a glowing report to a Kidderminster nursery located in the grounds of a school which is to be closed.

Owners of the Barnabees Nursery have vowed to continue running the independent nursery after St Barnabas First School, at Franche, closes in 2007 as part of the education re-organisation in Wyre Forest.

Ofsted inspectors praised the nursery, which currently caters for 41 youngsters from the age of two to four, judging it "very good" - the highest accolade in all six areas of development monitored.

These are personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development.

The inspectors also found there were no weaknesses and the only area of improvement to be made was in further developing the opportunities for children to expand their own ideas and thinking.

The nursery, which was opened six years ago, has also gained a gold award in the Growing Together Quality Assurance Awards from the Worcestershire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

Elain Bagnall and Gill Barkas, who own and manage the nursery, said: "It is gratifying to be acknowledged for all the hard work that all the staff and those involved with the nursery have put in. We all strive for perfection and these awards recognise this."