A PLAYSCHEME on an Oxford estate is the only one in the county to be judged ‘oustanding’ by the education watchdog Ofsted.

Inspectors toured the Dovecote in Nightingale Avenue, Greater Leys – and marked it as ‘outstanding’ in all 17 categories. It means every aspect of the playscheme is of an ‘exceptionally high quality’.

The Dovecote runs an after-school and holiday club for children aged four to 12 and can cater for 48 children at a time.

Dovecote children and families services coordinator Carol Richards said: “Words cannot describe how much it means to everyone involved. You cannot get any better than outstanding.

“We hope this also sets a good example to other voluntary run groups, showing that with determination, commitment and with the right support you can achieve the same, if not better, than those organisations with lots of money, staff and infrastructure.”

Inspector Jan Leo, who visited the site in July, praised the Dovecote’s ‘strong management’ and ‘excellent’ team of 13 staff and said they made good use of resources to broaden children’s experiences.

Describing the staff’s enthusiasm as ‘infectious’ she said they worked hard to build relationships with parents, social workers and other professionals and imposed rigorous safety checks to keep youngsters safe.

Early years provision was also praised for giving children choice and free access to outdoor space and the chance to develop their creativity.

But the inspector said the playscheme could improve the variety of foods.

Mrs Richards has also revealed plans to buy a narrow boat, in order to teach children about the natural world and help them learn new skills, such as map reading and ornithology.

The group also spent £14,500 on a sensory room to stimulate children with impairments.