Would this recent Ofsted report put you off a nursery?

[Lolaa1]

Was going to call to view a nursery for my DD. However, I have been online and they have a recent Ofsted report that says the below. Would this put you off?

On 19th September 2024, we received concerns that the provider was not meeting requirements relating to risk assessment, suitable people, training and skills, key person, staff: child ratios, safety of premises and baby room.

On 7th October 2024, we carried out a regulatory visit. We found the provider was not meeting some of the requirements. We have issued an action for the provider to take. This is a legal notice that requires the provider to take the action below within the timescales set out. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this. The provider is still registered with Ofsted.

Actions needed by 27 October 2024: • implement effective risk assessments to ensure that all areas children have access to are safe and suitable for purpose, with particular regard to trailing wires in areas accessed by children, and tripping hazards posed by general clutter and toys left on the floors.

It would put me off. But if the nursery otherwise seems good I'd contact them and ask them about it, you may find you end up feeling really reassured, or totally put off.

This is a regulatory visit, they are not meeting the basics. They have notice to improve, if they don’t they’ll be closed. I would not send my child there. This is not a report based on opinion, this nursery is a potential danger to children, not so much so that it needed to be closed on the spot but the people in charge of this nursery let it get to the point it’s at. Do you really want them caring for your child?

Arrange a viewing and talk with the staff. Some wires need to be moved out of reach and they've been advised to tidy up a bit more.

I wouldn’t, way too many red flags.

I wouldn't bother visiting. There are so many other nurseries and this one is risky.

Yes. I would be concerned and not want my child to attend.

It would make me wary but not so much that I wouldn't at least visit and ask them about it. If it's just one issue (with some different facets) then it's easily sorted and they'll be very careful about it in future. If it's a symptom of a bigger issue then don't send your DC there.

I'm involved in a local pre-school and it's not perfect and if an inspector visited at the "wrong" time they'd sometimes find a bit too much clutter. But the staff are amazing and caring and they absolutely know the right things to do, and at the start and end of the day it is tidy and safe, but given the choice between comforting a child and tidying the toys, they'd comfort the child and that's the sort of pre-school I'd want my child to go to.

Yes, that would put me off.
I don’t agree with nurseries anyway, a good childminder would be better and failing that a caring family member and best of all- mummy.

Yikes.

Yes.

There are plenty of things in OFSTED reports that do not put me off, my own dc went to a school that was RI but for reasons that I didn't care about.

But this nursery isn't like that at all. Not employing suitable people - just in its own is enough.

1893 has entered the chat.

From what you've written, it sounds like there was a broader complaint made to Ofsted but when they visited, they (just) found a poor risk assessment and that it was a bit of a mess. Ir doesn't say that the other parts of the complaint were substantiated so it's not clear if it's valid or not. I'd want to visit and ask them about it assuming it has other things going for it!

But yes, OP, that list would put me off. If it was just one issue I’d talk to them/weigh it up, but it sounds overall not good enough.

This is absolutely basic stuff. It's not subjective, it's factual, and a nursery management that can't get the basics of safety and making safe appointments right, is going to be clueless and/or slipshod in general.

It'd be a no from me.

Suitable people doesn't necessarily mean unsuitable people employed, this could be referring to committee (if that type of setting) or who is registered with charity commission/ofsted. I wouldn't necessarily be concerned about that so you could ask them.

Child ratios is totally unacceptable, it is really straightforward and there should never be times where they are not meeting the minimum requirements.

The safety concerns would worry me but again I would ask them and see what the response is.

I do not trust ofsted at all, i have been involved in a setting where they have been treated dreadfully by ofsted and that some of the things said were outright lies. It is not the only setting I know of that it's happened to so I would always say to get clarification before just believing an ofsted report.

Definitely no.If it's bad enough for OFSTED to have noticed it when everyone would have been on their best behaviour, imagine what risks are going on when they aren't about!!
(I used to work in a nursery)

A childminder your putting all your trust in one person. If that one person doesn't do the job properly there is nobody else to over see them.

A nursery the risk is divided, you'd think any lazy staff would be weeded out.

But no I wouldn't want to even visit this nursery.

Surprised you are asking the question and possibly considering the nursery?

I wouldn't touch it!

Definitely would not even visit

suitable people, training and skills, key person, staff: child ratios, safety of premises and baby room.

This is more than just overlooking some wires. Child ratios and suitable people is the absolute basics. I work in early years and would not use a nursery with an ofsted like this

Thanks everyone for your comments

That’s the bit I was confused about as it seems quite a lot has been included in the complaint but Ofsted have only commented on their findings about the risk assessment/safety.

Of that list, the thing that jumps out is ratios (mind you, the trailing wires is pretty weird, but at least that's easy to correct). If the nursery is super convenient for your family, look up ratios for each age range, then bear them in mind at a visit. At a visit, I'd directly ask the nursery manager about the Ofsted report and ask what their plan is - they shouldn't mind talking about it, it'll be obvious that parents will be talking about it and that's quite understandable. The manager's reaction will probably give you all the info you need.

I might also do a bit of googling and chatting to local friends-of-friends - sounds like there might have been an incident which set this off. I wouldn't necessarily write off the nursery based on this Ofsted report, if the nursery are honest about their failings and are genuinely trying to pull themselves up. Some of those things on the list could be pretty minor - for example, the "suitable people" could simply be that one member of staff's update service (like a DBS subscription) ran out last week and didn't automatically renew because their bank details have changed. Or it could be something really mega worrying! Ask the nursery manager about the Ofsted report, see what the reaction is, go from there.

I would see what happens on the 27th.

A similar thing happened when DD was at nursery. Ofsted visited, closed it down that day... it reopened a few weeks later much improved.

This would worry me yes. It is basic stuff and if they can’t get the basics right imagine what else they are getting wrong. Someone in the nursery must have been upset enough to make a complaint which was substantiated. I would imagine the person/people making the complaint would have tried to resolve this with the nursery first and didn’t get anywhere. Personally I wouldn’t take a risk.