Hanley Swan Pre School Playgroup, Worcester, celebrate their 50th anniversary and 'good' Ofsted rating.

Hanley Swan Pre School Playgroup, Worcester, welcomed Marjorie Nelson aged 75, a founding member of the playgroup when it first opened its doors in April 1969.

Manager Sally Sinclair, 47, said: “It was fantastic to receive Marjorie and to hear about her time here.

“Nothing has changed much in terms of teaching, as the children are always at the heart of what we do - but I think we have far more paperwork that in Marjorie’s time!”

Ms Nelson, who moved from the Republic of Ireland to the UK when she was in her 20s, said: “We always ended the day with singing - songs like Incy Wincy Spider were popular with the little ones.”

The school is also celebrating its recent success of a ‘good’ Ofsted rating.

“We are so very proud, of our Ofsted rating, a huge thank you to all our children, and their families who support us.

“In a climate in which the government under funds child care establishments on a whole, being a committee run charity, this is a huge achievement, as many pack-away settings are sadly closing their doors due to the pressures put upon them,” Ms Sinclair added.

The inspection carried out in February stated: “Leaders and managers aim to be the best they can and have high expectations about what children can achieve and the “staff work very well together” and are both “experienced” and “knowledgeable.”

To further improve the quality of early years provision, Ofsted recommended the school “encourage young children to fully participate in all activities” and to “seek more detailed information from parents about what children know and can do when they first attend.”