STAFF, parents and children at Knowle West Early Years Centre are celebrating a double thumbs-up from inspectors.

Two separate teams from the watchdog Ofsted have both said the centre's provision for families in the area is good.

One group of inspectors looked at the nursery education for three and four year-olds and found it to have some outstanding features.

The other team inspected the care and services for babies and toddlers and their parents, which were also given a positive report.

Both reports gave the centre the second highest rating of good overall.

Sarah Salmon, who took over as head of the centre in November, said: "We are really pleased about our successful Ofsted inspection. We would like to say a massive thank-you to all our children and families for their ongoing support and for making Knowle West Early Years Centre such a special place."

The centre was one of the first to be inspected under the latest Ofsted framework, which focuses on achievement, teaching, behaviour and safety and leadership and management.

Lead inspector Christine Huard said all children made good progress in their learning and for some it was outstanding.

"Teaching is good over time and much that was observed during the inspection was of an outstanding quality. Activities are planned very well to ensure they meet the needs of all children," she said.

"Children's behaviour is outstanding, both in the classroom and in the outdoor area. They play happily and harmoniously together, reflecting their outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development."

Ms Huard said the centre had a strong vision and ethos and a drive to improve.

"Children are taught to be thoughtful and reflective and they have extremely good social skills and a strong sense of right and wrong," she said.

She also praised the centre's excellent relationships with parents and carers, saying that the work it carried out with families was having an extremely positive effect on the progress and learning of the children.

This was echoed by Steve Nelson, who led the children's centre inspection.

He said: "Staff morale is high. Their relationships with parents and carers are excellent. Parents and carers were keen to speak to inspectors about how the centre has helped them."

His report also highlighted the excellent community response when, after a break-in, a parent committee raised £3,000 to buy new bikes.