A ‘chaotic nursery has been slammed for failing to provide a ‘safe and nurturing environment’ for the children in its care. Squirrels Children’s Day Nursery, in Middleton, was rated ‘inadequate’ following a visit from Ofsted inspectors - who also hit it with an enforcement notice due to a number of safeguarding and welfare concerns.
The nursery, based at the former baptist church in Green Street, has since taken the action required and is now under new management. They say they are ’excited’ about the changes that have been made.
But when officials visited last month they noted a catalogue of poor practice that was putting their development and safety at risk. A damning new report notes that leaders had failed ‘to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children to play and learn in’.
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“The nursery is chaotic and disorganised,” it continues. “Leaders do not deploy staff effectively and child supervision is poor. For example, staff fail to notice children climbing onto and over furniture.”
Staff were also said not to be unaware of younger children put choking hazards into their mouths - the inspector having to intervene to keep them safe on several occasions. Officials also found the staff member in charge of child safeguarding had a ‘poor understanding of child protection’.
“Too many staff are unaware of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect,” the report adds. “Some are unaware of the steps to follow should they be concerned about the conduct of a colleague.”
And while staff were trained in first aid and understood how to deal with accidents and injuries, the administration of medication was described as ‘poor’. Youngsters did not display ‘positive attitudes towards their learning’ while activities at the nursery were described as ‘mundane and do not gain children's interest.
“This results in poor behaviour,” the report adds. "Staff do not provide children with clear expectations about their behaviour or support them to regulate their emotions.
“This leads to frustrated behaviour, including physical altercations.”
Staff were also said to ‘lack the knowledge of how to support the emotional well-being of younger children’. “The nursery is filled with high levels of crying," the report says. "Children do not settle and do not form secure bonds with staff."
Inspectors also found that children do not gain the necessary skills in readiness for school, noting that 'they do not learn about taking turns and show poor levels of concentration'.
The support in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) was also found to be poor, while staff morale was described as ‘low’.
A spokesperson for the nursery has responded to the report.
They said: “The setting is under new management, and we are very excited by the changes made. We have been working closely with the local authority, who have given us extensive support and training, and are pleased with the progress made.
“We are looking forward to the future and our door is always open for visitors.”
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