CHILDREN and staff at a Stourport nursery were given a pleasant surprise when they returned to school to find it had been completely transformed.

St Wulstan’s Lodge manager Sally Bache and the nursery committee chair Emma Machin – along with her husband Daniel – rolled their sleeves up to refurbish the facility.

Staff, parents and the children were left in the dark about what was planned and followed a similar surprise at the nursery last year.

In April 2015, a new surprise outdoor garden was unveiled to youngsters as the nursery looked works towards becoming rated as an ‘outstanding’ school and recover a damning Ofsted report from three years ago.

This latest overhaul is part of this ambition and has seen the learning area completely revamped, a new kitchen installed and the flooring replaced, thanks to St Wulstan’s Catholic Primary School – where the Lodge is based.

Mrs Bache said: “Last year we worked on the garden but this year we decided to carry out a full makeover of the inside of our building as it was looking dated.

“I got together with Emma and Daniel and set about the task over the Easter break. We did it as a surprise for the children, parents and staff.

“It was hard work but, from their lovely reactions, it was definitely worth it. The staff were absolutely thrilled and the children just said ‘wow!’

“We now have a kitchen, we have redecorated the inside of the building with a lot of colour and artwork everywhere, there is new furniture and the school kindly provided the flooring for us.

“Not long after I arrived here, we had a terrible Ofsted report and had 12 months to improve. We are continuing to work towards becoming ‘outstanding’.”

Parent Donna Forman, whose four-year-old son Lucas attends the nursery said: “They have done a wonderful job and worked so hard. It is phenomenal and we could not ask for a better environment for our children to learn.

“Lucas loves it, not least because there is a huge model dinosaur now in there! He kept talking about the ‘new school’ he goes to after he first saw it.”