A Totton playgroup is celebrating a smashing report following a visit by Ofsted inspectors.

The Humpty Dumpty Pre-school Playgroup in Totton was praised as "very good" in each of the six key learning areas that were assessed.

Forty youngsters currently attend the group for two to five-year-olds at St Winfred's Church in Salisbury Road.

The report states: "Humpty Dumpty Pre-school provides nursery education which is acceptable and of high quality.

"Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in all the areas of learning."

Praise was heaped on the quality of teaching, leadership and management and the partnership forged with parents.

Inspectors could not find a single area of significant weakness to highlight.

Carol McIldoon, at Humpty Dumpty, told the Daily Echo: "We feel that we work really hard all the time but it's nice to see it in writing and have someone else tell you what a good job you are doing.

"The secret of our success is probably the staff. We all work so well as a team."

The key learning areas that were labelled "very good" were personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development. Humpty Dumpty first opened in 1966 and was based at Colbury Hall.

It moved to Totton about five years ago.

HUMPTY DUMPTY PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP:

Address: Thistle Hall, St Winfreds Church, Salisbury Road, Totton.

Day care type: Full day care.

Age range: Two to five years

WHAT IS BEING DONE WELL?

The staff's clear understanding of the early learning goals leads to well-planned activities which engage and sustain children's interests and efforts.

Staff constantly encourage conversation with children, ask questions, introduce new vocabulary and provide a range of opportunities to develop language skills.

Children's imagination, language and thinking are developed in well designed role-play sets, supported with skilled staff intervention.

Staff regularly record children's achievements and share the information with parents.

Staff work well together as a team and are strongly committed to development and improvement.

Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories in a comfortable book corner.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED?

The opportunities for parents and carers to extend their children's learning at home.