SOUDLEY School has joined forces with 40-year-old Ruspidge Early Learners to set up a new pre-school nursery for the benefit of both Forest communities.

Ruspidge and Soudley Early Learners was formally launched last week, with Soudley sessions running on a Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 12.30pm to 3pm. The re-named group will continue its sessions already held at Ruspidge Memorial Hall.

The opening of pre-school sessions follows an Ofsted report on the Soudley school which judged it as 'good' for its ability to sustain improvement and for the overall progress made in key areas.

In the report the inspector said: "Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made good progress in making improvements and good progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement."

There was also praise for the specific targeting of additional support for skills such as mental maths and problem solving, improvements in science results and for pupils' level of community involvement – including cooking soup to sell at the tuck shop.

Soudley headteacher, Saron Hetenyi, said: "It is fantastic to see what a community of pupils, staff, parents and governors can achieve together. We have worked hard to improve our school and these accomplishments are reflected in the report and in the welcoming of nursery provision to the village."

Ruspidge and Soudley Early Learners accepts children from the term after their third birthday. In Ruspidge the group runs a variety of sessions for children from birth and onwards.

For more information on any sessions email Karen Jones, operations manager [email protected]">[email protected] or see the Ruspidge and Soudley Early learners website http://www.ruspidgeearlylearners.ik.og">www.ruspidgeearlylearners.ik.og