Nursery told to improve over child health concerns

A nursery has been rated as requiring improvement by Ofsted inspectors, with concerns including nutrition and developmental support.

Wendy House Nursery on Blackwell Road, Carlisle, received the rating over all four aspects of the inspection - quality of education, behaviour, personal development and leadership.

Inspectors said the nursery did not "promote children's nutritional needs and oral health well enough", and at times did not ensure daily access to the outdoor areas.

The nursery said it had taken "immediate and effective steps" to address all concerns and its team continued to work to "embed and sustain positive changes".

The nursery, which has 114 children on its roll aged up to four, was inspected in September, with the report published in November.

Inspectors said while managers shared information with parents about children's progress, they did not communicate with them enough to ensure consistency at home.

"Staff do not always make next steps clear or explain what parents can do at home, so continuity of learning is not maximised," the report said.

The nursery's management said it was proud of the "positive relationships" built with families.

Recent changes to the nursery's Early Years Foundation Stage framework meant it changed how some aspects of care were delivered and documented, it said.

"While this has meant certain elements of our approach had to evolve, our commitment to the well-being and development of every child has never wavered," a nursery spokesman said.

The Ofsted report said staffing difficulties meant junior staff were not always supported by more experienced teachers, however staff supported children with special educational needs and disabilities well.

The report said: "Staff know these children well and understand their individual needs. They work with other agencies to support children and their families."

It added children were also helped to manage their own self-care needs.

Wendy House Nursery said like many nurseries across the country, it had faced "sector-wide staffing challenges".

"Our management team has taken an increasingly hands-on role within the rooms to ensure the children continue to receive the highest standard of care and attention, which has at times reduced the amount of time available for paperwork," a spokesman said.

They added the focus would "always remain on [children's] safety, learning, and overall well-being".

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