J-Lo’s Early Years in Fraserburgh has gone from strength to strength since it opened almost two years ago.
Lorraine Watson and Jennifer Taylor took over the nursery in October 2022 and have successfully created a “nurturing space” for youngsters.
Last week, they had their very first visit from inspectors and received high praise across the board.
The Care Inspectorate uses a six-point scale to grade childcare services and gave the Fraserburgh nursery all “five” gradings.
“We were quite excited for our first inpspection and really happy with the result,” Lorraine told The Press and Journal.
“It’s taken us time to build up to where we are and we’re so proud of everything.
“The staff and the parents have been so supportive. They believed in us to get to where we are now.
“It’s been overwhelming.”
‘Happy and confident’ children
The duo have made a lot of changes since they took over from Peek-a-Boo nursery to make it the best possible service for young children.
Jennifer added: “We had a mountain to climb when we took over.
“Over the last two years we have worked so hard to overhaul the nursery and put J-Lo’s on the map as somewhere improving children’s development and giving them experiences to transition into school.”
Earlier this year, they created a sensory room in the garden area which benefits a number of the children.
Parents came together to help them raise the funds for the new space which was installed by Space Krafts.
They were also praised for their refurbished caravan and garden sheds, including one converted into a large sandpit, at the “bright and welcoming” nursery.
Inspectors said the space “promoted inclusivity” with its improved access for children with poor mobility.
The report adds: “Children who required additional support were well supported by patient and skilled staff and specialised equipment and resources.
“A few staff were proficient in using Makaton and were helping others to develop
their skills.
“Staff listened to the children and provided them with thinking time to process information. As a result, children were progressing well and were happy and confident.”
High praise for J-Lo’s in Fraserburgh
J-Lo’s Early Years has a dedicated staff team of nine, including Jennifer and Lorraine, who inspectors said were kind and nurturing.
More than 60 children are currently enrolled at the nursery – with the waiting list also full.
The inspectors praised the “strong” leadership saying the managers were committed to continuous improvement.
They said the children felt “safe and loved” by the staff who go “above and beyond”.
The team are committed to giving the children as many experiences as possible and have organised trips to local beaches and care homes, as well as Aden Country Park and Peterhead Prison Museum.
With the help of businesses in the area they have also been able to purchase their very own J-Lo’s bus to help the children explore and learn.
The managers added: “We can’t thank our staff, our bairns, their families and the community enough.”
The Press and Journal data team is monitoring the performance of childcare services, including nurseries, day cares and childminders, across the country.
Use our Care Calibre to see how individual services have been graded by the Care Inspectorate.
Conversation