A DAY Nursery in York and two North Yorkshire primary schools are standing out among the best in the country.

Daisy Chain Day Nursery in Heworth, York and Nun Monkton Primary, in Nun Monkton, have been rated as "outstanding" by school inspectors.

Both are mentioned high up in the annual report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools which identifies and celebrates the 1,476 outstanding schools, colleges and early years care and education providers inspected during the academic year 2005/06.

Also on the list is Markington C of E primary school, in Harrogate, which appears for a second time.

The grade "outstanding" is only awarded in exceptional cases and puts recipients in the top three per cent nationally.

It is the first time that outstanding early year's providers including nurseries, creches and childminders, have been listed.

Schools and colleges that are listed were judged to be outstanding in their overall effectiveness.

Early years providers have been judged to have outstanding care and for those that provide early education this must also have been judged to be outstanding.

Marlene Maclellan and Beverley Foers, co-owners of Daisy Chain, in Heworth, are delighted with the rating.

Ms Maclellan said: "Our nursery team has been working to attain this standard since we opened five years ago. To achieve our goal following an unannounced Ofsted inspection in May of this year is fantastic.

"It is the culmination of all our hard work and the recognition that the staff deserve."

There are 33 youngsters at Nun Monkton School and David Armitage has been chairman of governors there for 20 years.

He said: "We all feel greatly honoured to receive this accolade as it really is a great achievement for the school. It reflects great credit on the staff and especially the former head teacher Linda Ashby, who has now retired."

Christine Gilbert, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, said: "My congratulations go out to all involved in these outstanding schools, colleges and early years settings for their success in delivering such a high standard of education and care.

"I am delighted to recognise their achievement and pay tribute to their work.

"Those schools and colleges which have received not one, but two or three, outstanding inspection reports over the past 14 years have proved themselves to be consistent high-achievers and the best of the best."

This year, outstanding providers have been given a specially-developed outstanding' logo which they can use on documents and their website to communicate their achievement.

All those who have got the accolade are being invited to a special lunch reception at Ripley Castle on January 30 next year.

What the inspectors said...

Daisy Chain Day Nursery, Heworth
Pluses: The quality and standards of the care are outstanding. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding. The quality and standards of the nursery education are also outstanding.

Improvements: No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

Nun Monkton Primary School
Pluses: Nun Monkton is an outstanding school that despite its high costs gives excellent value for money. Pupils make exceptionally good progress because of extremely good teaching and systems sensitively tailored to meet their individual needs, both academically and personally.

Improvements: Simplify and unify the way the school tracks pupils' progress so as to reduce the administrative workload on teachers. Find ways to give parents more regular, written information about what goes on in school.