A NURSERY that received a damning report from Ofsted has been given nine points to improve before the end of the month.

An inspector who visited The Cottage Nursery in Watchfield on January 26 rated the early years provider as inadequate across the four inspection areas – marking a decline since their previous inspection of good in January 2014.

The nursery has said Ofsted’s rating will be appealed against.

The inspector found the management team had failed to fulfil its duty to ensure staff’s ongoing suitability which compromised the children’s welfare.

She added: “Staff’s knowledge and understanding of safeguarding matters are weak. They cannot identify all indicators that a child may be at risk of harm and are unfamiliar with referral procedures in the event of a child protection concern.

"They also fail to identify potential safety hazards. This compromises children’s health and safety.

“The provider and management team fail to monitor staff practice effectively and provide all staff with the support and training they need to fulfil their roles.

“The management team does not obtain all the required information about children in its care, such as who has parental responsibility for the children.

“Staff fail to ensure that all children have daily opportunities to be outdoors. The quality of teaching is poor, particularly in the pre-school groups. Staff do not support children’s development effectively in each area of learning.

"Staff do not keep parents informed about their children’s progress. Outcomes for children are poor.

“The management team has failed to address the recommendations raised at the last inspection. The breaches of requirements, including those associated with the Childcare Register, compromise children’s safety.

"The quality of the provision has declined.”

But, the inspector did have one point of praise for the nursery, citing that children behave well and are given “some opportunities to be independent”.

The nursery was unable to comment further, other than to state they would be appealing the ruling.

The inspector has drawn up nine points for the nursery to action by February 26.

These include implementing effective procedures to ensure staff suitability and check they understand their responsibility to inform the provider of any issues that may affect their suitability.

Staff also need to know how a child may be at risk of harm, and understand how to implement the nursery’s safeguarding procedures in the event of a concern about a child’s welfare, as well as ensure the risk assessment is used effectively to identify and minimise safety hazards.

The nursery must also monitor all staff’s practice effectively and provide them with effective supervision, support, coaching and training to ensure they fulfil their roles as children’s key persons, and to raise the quality of teaching. Staff must also use their teaching skills to interact effectively with children and provide the support they need.

Ofsted has further ordered the nursery has sufficient information about each child, including information about who has parental responsibility for them and ensure that all children have daily outdoor play opportunities.

In addition they must tailor activities to build on what the children already know and can do, and make sure they have good opportunities to develop their communication and language and maths skills.