Education watchdog Ofsted inspect services providing education and skills for people of all ages.

There are different types of inspection including full inspections and monitoring visits.

Where a full inspection is carried out a number of areas will be graded and the establishment given an overall rating.

The ratings are outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.

Some inspections are carried out with notice and others are unannounced.

Here are the reports published for schools in Colchester so far this year.

Humpty Dumpty Pre-School

Overall rating: Good

The quality of education: Good

Behaviour and attitudes: Good

Personal development: Good

Leadership and management: Good

The report said: "Children are happy and demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in this welcoming pre-school.

"Staff have high expectations for all children. They work closely with parents and other professionals to provide children with the support they need to progress and develop."

Tiddlywinks Preschool

Overall rating: Outstanding

The quality of education: Outstanding

Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding

Personal development: Outstanding

Leadership and management: Outstanding

The report said: "Children have a wonderful time at this delightful pre-school.

"They busily immerse themselves in a range of highly engaging activities.

"The manager and staff are superb role models who work together to create a captivating learning environment."

Lexden Springs School

Overall effectiveness: Good

The quality of education: Good

Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding

Personal development: Good

Leadership and management: Good

Early years provision: Outstanding

Sixth-form provision: Good

The report said: "Pupils listen carefully to their teachers and to each other because classrooms are purposeful and calm.

"They are polite and respectful to each other and their teachers.

"Teachers of all subjects have a deep understanding of pupils needs. Pupils are provided with opportunities for creative development, exploration, discovery, understanding the community and physical and self-development."

Colchester Institute

Inspection type: Monitoring visit

What progress have leaders and managers made in ensuring that the quality of education improves so that learners understand and apply key concepts fluently to their learning? Significant progress

What progress have leaders and staff made in selecting and sequencing the curriculum so that learners develop new knowledge and skills and work towards defined end points, including their next stage of education, training or employment? Reasonable progress

What progress have leaders made in ensuring that teachers and assessors use assessment to inform teaching, check learners and apprentices understanding and help them gain, extend, and improve their skills? Reasonable progress

What progress have leaders made in supporting adult learners to gain valuable employability skills and understand what they need to do to reach and succeed in their chosen career or next phase of education or training? Significant progress

The report said: "Governors and leaders responded swiftly and effectively to the findings from the previous inspection.

"They have an effective structure for ensuring improvements in the quality of education.

"As a result, the proportion of young learners who achieve their qualifications has increased significantly."

The Wilson Marriage Centre Nursery, Little Learners

Overall effectiveness: Good

The quality of education: Good

Behaviour and attitudes: Good

Personal development: Good

Leadership and management: Good

The report said: "Children are very keen and active learners.

"They are met and greeted by smiling nursery staff, who help them to settle quickly and choose what they want to play with.

"Children have very good relationships with each other and with the staff."

Holly Corner Kindergarten

Overall effectiveness: Good

The quality of education: Good

Behaviour and attitudes: Good

Personal development: Good

Leadership and management: Good

The report said: "On arrival, children are welcomed by friendly and enthusiastic staff. Children form secure attachments and develop positive relationships with staff.

"This helps children to feel emotionally safe and secure. Children interact well together."

Squirrels Pre-School

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding

The quality of education: Outstanding

Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding

Personal development: Outstanding

Leadership and management: Outstanding

The report said: "Children are highly settled and happy. They often sing to themselves as they play and work.

"Children talk animatedly with their friends. They laugh and actively share toys and divide up dough fairly. Children ask staff for help or extra resources, such as scissors, confidently."

Little Explorers PreSchool

Overall effectiveness: Good

The quality of education: Good

Behaviour and attitudes: Good

Personal development: Good

Leadership and management: Good

The report said: "Children build strong bonds with staff. They show how happy and safe they feel as they settle quickly into play and activities on arrival.

"Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and an understanding of positive behaviour."

Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery Colchester

Overall effectiveness: Good

The quality of education: Good

Behaviour and attitudes: Good

Personal development: Good

Leadership and management: Good

The report said: "Children are curious, inquisitive and enjoy their learning.

"They take time to work problems out for themselves before responding to staff's questions, using increasingly complex words."

Myland Community Primary School

Inspection type: Inspection of a good school

Outcome: It continues to be a good school

The report said: "There is a lot of joy in this school.

"Pupils like being here, and there is a strong sense of purpose.

"Pupils are expected to work hard and behave well, and they do. There is also time for fun and laughter."

Thomas Lord Audley School

Inspection type: Inspection of a good school

Outcome: It continues to be a good school

The report said: "Pupils largely enjoy school. They have positive relationships with teachers.

"They respect teachers and value the support they receive. Pupils benefit from leaders and teachers high expectations.

"Their time is used well in focused and meaningful activities, which help pupils to learn."

St Georges Infant School and Nursery

Overall effectiveness: Inadequate

The quality of education: Inadequate

Behaviour and attitudes: Inadequate

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How Ofsted has rated schools in the Colchester area so far this year - Gazette