Is it normal for a nursery gate to be left open?

[sjames26]

My children started nursery a few weeks ago. It is an outstanding rated nursery with really good parent reviews in London. On the first day of drop off there were no staff at the gate, it is wide open so anyone from the street can walk in. There was no staff member at the entrance of the building either, infact you have to walk down the corridor to the back of the building to enter the nursery before any staff can be seen. I felt really uneasy about leaving my kids so I asked one of the staff if someone is usually there at the gate entrance, she said someone will be around but not necessarily at the gate. I then spoke to the owner who got quite defensive and said that essentially if someone really wanted to get in and cause harm they could get in anyway by climbing the walls. They offered no resolution and every day I have had to wait for up to 25 minutes until I see someone closing the gate until I feel I can go about my day. It’s also left a bad taste in my mouth as the response is not what I’d expect from people I’m trusting to look after my children.

From what I have read online this is not the norm and actually goes against basic safeguarding rules. However, as no other parents seem to have had an issue with it I’m now wondering if I’m over reacting? Either way I am looking to take them out as it doesn’t sit right with me, just wondering others thoughts on this as I will be drafting my notice letter this week. Thanks

Are you meaning someone can enter where the children are playing, or just an entrance area?

It’s a main gate from the street, then you walk about 10 steps to the door of the building, then into the building and the children are in a room with a safety gate and staff. My worry is there is heavy foot traffic outside, no one to monitor who is coming or going. I trust the staff and that the children are secure in there, it’s not that I think they would escape without staff noticing, it’s more that there is opportunity for unauthorised access from outsiders.

No. It's not normal. You know that.

Yes I suppose I do, just wanting some assurance I’m not insane as that is how they made me feel.

So no locked doors between the street and the children? Anyone can access the building?

Totally not normal and I'd remove my children and inform Ofsted.

Yep!! And it’s for up to 30 minutes at pick up and drop off. I have to wait until the gate locks every day then am first one at pickup. I just can’t relax with them there. I was going to get ofsted involved too. It’s really frustrating as we have two children and have paid for the full term up front, notice has to be given at the end of the penultimate term so as it stands we would be paying until spring for two children, but it is a safeguarding issue they are not willing to correct.

I wouldn’t like this. Our nursery gate is manned by a teacher and then the door to the classroom (about six metres from the gate) also has a teacher standing there. Drop off is 9am and the gate will only be open for ten minutes. Latecomers have to go to the school reception.

Yes that is what I would have expected! We were previously in a nursery that operated this way too but have recently moved area. Their own website says the gate is monitored by staff during drop off and pick up in the safety section, so they aren’t following their own rules

Put it in writing to the nursery and say you are concerned

If nothing changes, ask for your terms refund as they haven't kept to their side of the agreement adhering to their own policies

If you can't get a resolution and mention Ofsted etc, they may refund you to keep you quiet

Thank you I will

No not not normal, the gate at nursery here 99% has someone at the gate greeting parents (there may be a moment or 2 where they have helped take an upset child in so are not there) and the same at the primary school.

I guess it depends on the type of nursery? Is it more of a school nursery where everyone is arriving at same time? At a private nursery obviously you can’t have a manned gate the whole time, there’s like a 1.5-hour window people might drop off. But our entry door has a buzzer system so people have to be seen by staff to gain entry.

Our old nursery had the door unlocked for peak drop-off time where there was a stream coming in and out, but you had to ring the bell for pick-up or for any drop-offs out with that time.

From what I can tell, our local school nursery has unlocked gate and people go just go in, drop off inside and leave and at some point I assume they lock the front door when all kids are in. The gate is a standard gate, it can always be opened. It would be easy to hop the fence when the gate is shut though.

It’s not a school nursery as in it’s within a school, but it is for 2-5’s. Drop off is meant to be 9-9.15 but sometimes goes to 9.30 with gate open. Both have been private, our previous has someone at the door and parents wouldn’t enter the nursery. Others I am viewing at the moment all seem to have secure systems with either reception/keypad/staff at the door upon entry. It’s something I didn’t think to ask about when I viewed as I assumed all nurseries would have something in place.

It depends on the layout where ours used to go there was no gate as entrance was off the carpark
and the front door was open as other part of the building were used for different things
but the door to where the kids were had a gate on

Was it a child’s gate or a tall gate? This is just staff in a room with a child’s gate. There is a main gate, open front door and about 4 other rooms used as toilets/offices etc before you reach the nursery. I have been checking the toilets etc before leaving too as you never know if some stranger could be waiting in there!

I agree with sending a formal written complaint concern - that the gate is unlocked and unmanned, there is access to the rooms the children are in and the staff have no way of checking who has entered the building.
You might want to highlight this section of the EYFS

Organising premises for confidentiality and safeguarding
3.89 Providers must ensure:
• There is an area where staff may talk to parents and/or carers confidentially.
• There is an area for staff to take breaks away from areas being used by children.
• Children are only released into the care of individuals of whom the parent and/or carer has explicitly notified the provider.
• Children do not leave the premises unsupervised.
• They take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised persons entering the premises and have an agreed procedure for checking the identity of visitors.
• They consider what additional measures are necessary when children stay overnight.

It doesn't sound like they are meeting the requirement of reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised persons entering.
And if there is only a stair gate between the children and leaving the building, there's a risk a child could leave the premises unsupervised.

If the nursery don't respond adequately, then report to Ofsted.

Thank you for this! I have just rang Ofsted and they said no this is not acceptable and asked if I would like to log complaint now. I’m going to give them one more chance with complaint in writing and if not will have to report.

I think you would be reasonable to get your money back if you cannot send your children due to the setting not meeting the safety requirements of the EYFS.
Maybe next time you go you should film yourself walking in with no staff or locked doors so you have evidence.