A nursery closed suddenly after a child was able to leave unsupervised.
Eversley Nursery School on Penkett Road in Wallasey, closed its doors in February following an Ofsted inspection the previous month. The findings of the inspection, which deemed the nursery to be "inadequate" with enforcement action needed, have now been released.
The nursery had 48 children aged 0-4 on its register and employed 12 staff members before its closure. Ofsted said an inspector had to intervene during the inspection on January 30 because "staff do not ensure children's safety."
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The report, published on March 3, said: "Following a recent significant incident, where a child was able to leave the premises unsupervised, leaders and managers have taken some action. This included updating risk assessments and fitting additional locks to the garden gates to improve security.
"However, staff fail to identify and minimise risks to children indoors. For example, children climb on chairs and tables to look over the balcony. This is not challenged by staff. The inspector had to intervene as staff do not ensure children's safety."
Inspectors also found staff did not provide "any explanation to children about the difference between right and wrong or support children to understand the impact of their actions."
The report added: "Staff do not engage in meaningful interactions with children and do not always give children sufficient time to answer their questions. This results in stilted one-sided conversations, that do not help children express themselves.
"Staff do not encourage the appropriate use of dummies. Some children have dummies in their mouths for long periods of time. This hinders their ability to practise their speech."
Ofsted gave the nursery a welfare requirement notice following the inspection in January, which legally required them to take actions within a set timescale. On February 16, a regulatory visit was carried out by Ofsted to check the nursery had met the safeguarding and welfare actions raised at their previous inspection.
In a follow up report, published on March 6, Ofsted said: "During the visit, we found the provider had met some of the safeguarding and welfare actions but not others.
"The provider had taken steps to ensure children were not exposed to risks. For example, staff were more vigilant and supervised children well. The nursery premises were secure and potential risks to children have been minimised. All children have a key person and a buddy key person."
However, inspectors also found new areas of concern around the designated safeguarding lead, who they said did not have an up-to-date understanding of safeguarding issues which "put children at risk in the event of a child protection concern."
The report said: "On 23 February 2023, the provider resigned their registration and is no longer registered with Ofsted."
Following the news of the nursery's closure in February, Cllr Kathy Hodson, chair of Wirral Council’s Children, Young People & Education Committee, said: “The sudden closure of a nursery can be a very difficult and upsetting time for children and their families, and council staff have been offering assistance to those affected.
"Following the closure of Eversley Nursery, Wirral Council staff have been helping families to access other nursery places and have taken steps to ensure any funding can be obtained to support them in new childcare. The council has also offered support to staff from Eversley Nursery to find alternative employment.”
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