Nursery told to improve after being rated inadequate

The Beeches Day Nursery, in Beechdale, Walsall, was given the rating by Ofsted following a recent inspection and has been issued with a welfare requirements notice requiring the nursery to address issues in staff training.

Inspectors found the nursery 'failed to identify and address several risks to children's health and safety'.

According to a recently published report, attendance was also not recorded properly and learning and development was 'poor'.

Inspectors observed activities, looked at records, held meetings with staff and spoke to children and parents during the inspection.

In the report, inspector Lesley Bott said: "The provider does not fully safeguard children. The risk assessment process is ineffective and has failed to identify and address several risks to children's health and safety.

"Children's safety is compromised because the provider does not record their accurate hours of attendance.

"In addition, staff do not fully understand the safeguarding policy and procedures to ensure that agencies with statutory responsibility are notified without delay.

"Children's learning and development is poor.

"Teaching is variable due to information from children's starting points not being used to clearly identify their next steps. As a result, activities do not offer challenge to help children progress."

A notice has been issued to the nursery which requires all staff to be trained to ensure that they understand the safeguarding policy and procedures.

Inspectors said that a daily attendance record should be kept and the nursery should ensure robust observation and assessment of children's learning is in place.

Ofsted has also asked for steps to be taken to ensure all necessary measures are taken to minimise any risks indoors or outdoors to allow children to move around and play safely.

The report said: "Some staff have a poor understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. "This results in weak teaching that does not match children's needs. As a result, staff's practice throughout the nursery is inconsistent and variable.

"Observations are not carried out regularly and assessment is inconsistent in quality to ensure information gained is used appropriately to build on children's progress."

The nursery, which is based at Beechdale Lifelong Learning Centre, in Stephenson Square, was praised for the 'warm relationships' that exist with parents.

It has 66 children in the early years age range and was previously rated as 'good' following an inspection in 2012.

Nursery manager Ann McWatt said improvements had been put in place since the inspection, including the appointment of a new safeguarding officer, areas had been sectioned off and parents had been given the chance to attend meetings with staff.