Asquith - West Hampstead - Ofsted complaints

[HeyBaby]

Does anyone have any comments to share about their experiences with Asquith West Hampstead? After a bit of a struggle, my DS finally has a place there starting later this year but I have recently looked at the last Ofsted report for them (which was only very recently put on the website) and it says that since the last inspection (2004) there have been 3 complaints covering a variety of standards.

Obviously this is a little concerning to me, but I'm not sure whether it is the result of over-zealous mothers or real problems there. I have visited the nursery but at the time didn't have a lot to compare it with.

Has anyone had any past or current experience with this particular nursery, or does anyone have any advice about how to obtain some reassurance? I am planning to ring Ofsted to see if I can find out more detail about the complaints.

[Tilytot]

I believe the nursery has had a change of management since then - so things have probably improved. A lot in nurseries can depend on the manager

[fizzdog]

Tilytot right. Manager has changed and I think that it has also changed hands since then - i.e. Asquiths took it over relatively recently.

I also received copy of ofsted report from nursery today (DD is there) so too curious about complaints. DD has been there since Sept, was the only nursery in the area I was happy to send her to and I'm still happy to take her back tomorrow! New manager (since summer) clearly making significant effort to improve things where possible. Get the feeling that maybe a year/18 months ago there were a number of things that weren't ideal but don't know that for sure - just the impression I get from the kinds of things that are changing/what they are talking about improving.

Hope that helps put yr mind a little bit at rest. Nursery obliged to keep record of complaints and make it available (i.e. to parents, prospective parents) so you can always just ask direct - and let me know if you do find out ! And CAT me if you want to.

[HeyBaby]

Fizzdog - read both of your messages. Thank you so much, this puts my mind at rest somewhat. I actually did email Ofsted to find out more about the complaints and when they were made etc. It would be interesting to see whether they were made mainly before the new manager started. But really good to have all of this information. How old is your DD?

[fizzdog]

just over a year so still in the baby room. she started when she was 7 mths. if you read content of ofsted report they're actually really complimentary about staff & level of care in the baby & toddler rooms. what age will yrs be when starting?

[HeyBaby]

Yes -I did notice that too. But there was one part about not all staff realising their responsibilities re: child safety and welfare or something. I think some of the negative comments were directed more at the older years. My DS will be 8 months when he starts ...

Ofsted replied to me and said I had to write to them (ie a letter) to comply with FOI Act otherwise they can't give me more info ... will let you know if I get any more details re: the complaints etc!

[MissChief]

don't necessarily go on the ofsted report, esp if not up-to-date - our local Asquith had a great one and yet IMO is truly appalling, many mums have had to pull their LOs out and staff were leaving on regular basis. I don't know if this is a recent decline or whether it was never great in the first place. On the other hand, when we were in London (not yr area) our local Asquith was v good. Judge for yourself (by visiting several different nurseries) as well as on the reports, hearsay from local mums.

[kitegirl]

what is it with Asquith nurseries... I've had enough of our local one where ds goes (West Dulwich), it's just getting worse despite conversations with the management.

apparently the parent company has a new director who is trying to streamline everything and knock all individuality out of the local A nurseries.

[Marina]

Oh now kitegirl that is interesting. The staff at our local one are all very nice and many of them long-serving. It is not a very Asquith nursery IYSWIM - was owned privately and run by owner for many years and she stayed on when they bought it up. New manager is having enormous trouble getting head office to honour their promise to refurbish the very shabby preschool premises
All I can say is you won't see any pictures of the New Eltham Asquith toilets on their website

[edam]

I took ds out of our local Asquith nursery because it started to go downhill. Good, experienced manager left and new one wasn't very impressive (and seemed remarkably young to have such a responsible job). Key members of staff started to leave so ds was being messed around with agency people coming and going. He had been very happy and secure there but started not wanting to go in, which was heartbreaking.

Then his old keyworker (and babysitter) phoned up to tell me she was leaving and that was the last straw. Apparently they'd told her when she joined that they would sponsor her through her NVQs but new manager turned round and said no. Found out that unqualified staff like her were only paid £10,000 pa. No wonder people were leaving! NVQ 3 only costs £500 - nothing to them but a huge amount of money to someone on £10k. Then they had a fundraising event for equipment which I thought was a cheek given I was paying £854 a month. Head office also screwed us over childcare vouchers, twice.

I'm really not impressed with them as a company. Just in it for the pots of cash with no care from head office for the children or staff.

Luckily for us ds's keyworker is now our nanny. I wouldn't go anywhere near that company again. If you've got a good local manager that helps, but there's no guarantee they won't leave.

[LeahE]

Our local one is supposed to have gone downhill recently - a friend-of-a-friend was v impressed when looking round but months later when the time came to settle her dc in the atmosphere and level of attention from staff had significantly deteriorated. Last I heard she was desperately looking for a last-minute alternative.

[kitegirl]

Interesting. I also think that our Asquith pays a pittance to staff, many are unqualified, and the rooms are crammed with as many kids as they can fit in. There is no communication between me and the nursery, whenever ds has moved up rooms I have never been informed (I found out when I went to pick him up and was told 'ooh he is in the toddler room now'). Some staff members keep calling him the wrong name (he's been there over a year now...). Sometimes I pick him up and he is wearing somebody else's trousers/top/shoes, despite labels everywhere. Feedback is nonexistent. The management listens but has not shown any indication that things would improve.

For what they charge (£56 per day!) I think it is a shambles. It does seem like for them it is all about money.

[KATGOD]

Really interested to hear your views Kitegirl - I find feedback really good. Get told every day what food, what activities, and staff tell if he's had a good or bad day. I think the old manager was looking for another job and wasn't that interested - just because the current one looks young doesn't mean she can't do the job. I also think that there is a lot to be said for visiting out of usual drop off/pick up times - you see a very different picture. I do try to engage the manager with both positive and negative feedback, and make time to talk to the staff. We are happy, but it does make me wonder if the other rooms are so different to Ds's.

[kitegirl]

KATGOD how old is your ds? my ds is in the nursery room and the manager actually has acknowledged to me that there is a problem. It has now deteriorated to the point that my son has come home two weeks in a row with nasty bite marks and scratches, and no-one has mentioned these to me. I have visited him at several different times of the day and frankly I don't think there's much change.

I also think that at his age (2+) they should be able to provide a more structured environment for learning (albeit through play but there should be SOMETHING). Having now seen the alternatives in the area and all the activities I am desperate to change!

[KATGOD]

well we are in the same room. But I never have a problem with scratches or biting, and feel I get lots of feedback. Are the other nurseries really offering lots more activities? Like what - starting to panic that I am missing something - but generally other 2+ nurseries don't offer care til 6pm which is what I need. Have just spoken to manager again - seems lots of the cahnges ae head office driven. But I do remain convinced that the staff are kind and caring, and that is the bottom line so far as I am concerned.

[samsmum27]

Asquith -Twickenham
3 Year old boy died recentley of choking on food !!

My son went to wrap around care at asquith, twicenham for a while before this happened and I must say that they are very disorganised, impersonal, and their head office is a joke!!

[nannynick]

As of 3 October 2005, childcare providers must provide details regarding complaints.

Here is a \link{http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20052303.htm\link to the legislation}

The registered person shall ensure that a written record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response and the outcome of the investigation.

(7) The registered person shall on request provide to -(a) any parent of a child for whom the registered person acts as a childminder or a provider of day care; and (b) the Chief Inspector, a summary of any record made for the purposes of paragraph (6).

Which means, They have to make a summary of all complaints available for parents who request it... But ONLY to parents of children whom are in the care of the provider. So those parents considering the nursery, don't get to see the complaints, before their child attends. At least, this is how I inturpret what the law is saying. Wonder why the summary information isn't available publically (it does appear on the Ofsted Report, but that could at a much later date)

[getbakainyourjimjams]

I removed ds1 from an Asquith (not one of the ones mentioned on this thread). He was treated very badly (we removed him without giving notice and I didn't care that we forfeited the month's fees I just wanted him out).

He had a break from nursery for a while and I was very scared of putting him in another- when I did (a small owner managed nursery)- wow the difference. ds2 has been there now for over 2 years (ds1 spent 2 years there) and in that time I haven't had a single complaint about them. I wouldn't let Asquith look after my dog (if I had one).

[julia2]

Hello Mums

I'm a journalist researching this area and very interested in what you have to say - would any of you be prepared to talk to me about your experiences, in confidence ?

I can be contacted on [email protected] directly - if you'd like to drop me an email I'd be glad to hear from you.
All the best
Julia Mackenzie

[Blu]

I removed DS from the Asquith nursery in SW9 amidst much upset. He still talks about how unhgappy he was there. He settled very quickly into a much cheaper, friendlier nursery (with better food ) and much smaller room-groups, so I know the problem wasn't in DS not being ready for nursery.
He had been there as a baby, when the food had been freshly cooked on the premises from quality local suppliers. By the time we went back into pre-school, the food was centrally organised and absolutely disgusting. Grey greasy sausage rolls served with hoops. Some of the staff were lovely, but clearly run ragged. Some were not up to the job. One told a distressed child after her mother left 'you see, your mummy's gone and left you because she doesn't want a screaming little girl' (dp scooped Ds up at that point, took him out of the building never to return). I physically intervened when a friend's child, who was epi-pen standard allergic to egg, was being given an egg-containing cake bar being brought in by another parent and distributed by the staff.

[Marina]

Hello Julia - is it Asquith specifically you are researching, or the whole chain nursery market?
Our refurb is finally happening at Asquith New Eltham and my impression is that a new central management is aware of the many issues parents have with Head Office and are trying to do something about it.
The staff remain the biggest asset at ours, mostly excellent, doing a very good job on what I suspect are far from excellent salaries

[Blu]

Indeed - I think it is important to recognise the particular in any nursery.
There were some lovely staff at the nursery we used - and I think that many of the problems were caused by head Office putting pressure and looking fro maximum outputs.
We had put our concerns in writing to the manager...and in an ensuing confusion (caused by lack of communication between local and head office mgt) we copied the letter to Head Office. I was surprised that we did not get a reply beyond a standard letter, given the things we said.
But as a result of our comments, and the fact that we left, subsequent changes to the numbers in the pre-school room were made.

[julia2]

Hello

I'm researching the whole nursery market rather than Asquith, so if you have any other stories or experiences I'd be glad to hear them. It sounds like you resolved some of the issues you had with Asquith particularly - but I'd love to be able to talk to you both in a bit more detail about it - if you felt able to talk to me -I can keep your identity anonymous.
All the best
Julia

[MissChief]

Staff at asquith creche in Kidbrooke were excellent..More than can be said for those in the f/t nurseries in the town in which we live now..