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01
Oct
Ripon nursery 'put children's safety at risk', says Ofsted
A Ripon nursery has been graded ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted and told it ‘puts children’s safety at risk’.
Government inspectors visited Stepping Stones Nursery, on Blossomgate, on July 28.
The report, published last week, said there were "significant weaknesses in the safeguarding and welfare requirements, which put children's safety at risk".
The report added:
The provider has not ensured that staff have received suitable training to help them identify, record and respond to concerns about children's welfare. Several significant concerns about children's safety have not been reported to the relevant agencies over a period of time.
In addition, the fire exit is obstructed by resources and equipment. This means children cannot exit the premises swiftly in the event of a fire. The arrangements for staff supervision are not effective.
The report added staff ‘do not recognise basic signs of potential abuse’.
Inspectors said staff were not familiar with child protection issues, which included sexual abuse and the impact of domestic violence. Safeguarding staff were found not to have received adequate training.
The report said:
The procedures to record and report concerns about children are not in line with the guidance of the local safeguarding partners' procedures. Staff have noted concerns about children's welfare, however, they have not responded to these concerns swiftly or effectively, which puts children at risk of potential harm.
The report also stated that facilities to monitor children’s progress were ineffective. It said that some children ‘do not have an assigned key person’ and that ‘assessments of children's progress are inaccurate’.
It added that staff do not liaise with parents to gauge children's development, meaning they are not aware of progress made outside of nursery. Information shared with parents about progress assessments also isn’t accurate, with some being ‘several months out of date’.
Provisions for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities were labelled as ‘variable and inconsistent’.
However, the report said staff were "kind and caring" and children were happy. It said:
Although every child does not have a key person, children show they are happy to be with staff in the nursery and ask for help if they need it. Staff are kind and caring towards children. They promote social skills and good manners.
Staff show awareness of how to promote diversity and inclusion. For instance, they have sensitive discussions about differences between themselves and others with older children as they colour in. Older children are very kind to younger children in the nursery and behaviour is positive.
Temporarily suspended
Besides its 'inadequate' rating for overall effectiveness, the nursery was also rated 'inadequate' for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.
It had been rated 'good' for overall effectiveness at its last inspection in 2023.
Ofsted inspectors temporarily suspended the nursery, giving the organisation a list of improvements to make before various deadlines in August.
The nursery has since reopened upon achieving these improvements.
The nursery owner, who identified herself as Nadine, said:
We acknowledge Ofsted's findings during our recent inspection and we took them seriously. Every action raised in the report was fully addressed well within the set timeframe, and the nursery was able to reopen before the end of the suspension period.
During this time the support from our parents has been faultless.
The safety, wellbeing and the development of the children in our care is and will always be our highest priority.
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