A NURSERY in North Yorkshire has been rated ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted, following a recent inspection – but managers have criticised the report which they claim is ‘unfair’.

Daisy Day Care, in Ampleforth, was given the overall rating after an inspector from the watchdog visited on February 7.

This was a drop from the previous rating of ‘Good’, awarded in 2017.

When the inspector visited there were 30 children on roll, aged one to 11, and seven members of childcare staff employed.

In their report, the inspector found the service to be ‘Inadequate’ in all areas and raised concern over safeguarding, welfare, and learning development breaches at the nursery.

'significant impact on children’s safety and well-being'

They said these breaches had a “significant impact on children’s safety and well-being”.

The report states that staff have all completed safeguarding training but have a “weak knowledge and understanding of child protection”.

It said children enter the setting “happily and appear to have close relationships with staff”, but found that “staff do not offer children good quality support and teaching to enable them to make good progress in their learning”.

On the matter of safeguarding, the report raised concern that managers and staff do not have “secure enough knowledge” of how to recognise, record, and report concerns, which “compromises children’s welfare”.

It also said day-to-day risk assessments are not carried out to keep children safe.

Giving examples, the report highlighted “broken and sharp plastic” in the outdoor area and a leak in the children's toilet, which “staff manage by placing a large towel behind the toilet bowl”.

Managers claim statements in report are 'unfair'

In a statement to the Gazette & Herald, the Daisy Day Care managers claimed that some statements in the report are “unfair” and “do not reflect” the nursery.

The inspection was unannounced and carried out as a result of a risk assessment following information Ofsted received about the provider.

Given this, the managers said: “We were all rather flustered and did not show a true picture of what we provide for our children."

They added: “We are confident that we do have very good relationships with all our children and parents.”

On the issue of safeguarding, the managers said: “We know our children very well and their individual needs, maybe we aren’t the best at the paperwork side but our children’s safety, care, and wellbeing are always the most important things to us.”

They added: “Although some staff were caught unprepared and gave panic answers when questioned about child protection, we are confident that, as three managers, we work together well and any child protection issues that may arise would be dealt with in the correct manner.”

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The managers said the inspector’s statements about broken plastic in the outside area and the broken toilet were “unfair”.

They said: “(The broken plastic) was a large piece of plastic which had broken off a ride-on toy, it was not of any danger to the children and was disposed of immediately.  

“All our staff are very vigilant and conscientious when it comes to ensuring the setting is safe.”

On the matter of the leak in the toilet, they said: “Yes, we did have a slight leak behind a toilet, and we were awaiting a plumber; we explained this to the inspector.”

“The towel was simply there to catch the drips and stop it developing into a large puddle on the bathroom floor.

“The towel was replaced regularly, and children never came into contact with it.

“The plumber has now been, and this is no longer an issue.”

Following the inspection, Ofsted issued guidance on what the nursery must do to improve.

The report can be read in full on Ofsted’s website.