Inspectors highlight choking hazards and risk to children’s health
7:46am Wednesday 6th March 2013 in Local
A CHILDREN’S nursery has been deemed “inadequate”
in a damning Ofsted report.
Inspectors said children’s safety is compromised and hygiene practices are poor at the Shining Stars Nursery in Astley Bridge after an inspection in January.
Their report highlighted choking hazards to children under the age of two and risks to health during meal and sleep times.
The nursery was given an overall grade four for “inadequate” — a downgrading from a “satisfactory”
grade three from its last inspection in February 2009.
Inspector Vickie Halliwell wrote: “Children’s safety is compromised because staff do not do enough to reduce risks within the nursery.
“For example, babies under two years go to sleep while drinking from a bottle and two-year-old children are able to access very small toys, which are a potential choking hazard.
“Children’s good health is compromised by poor hygiene practices, particularly in relation to meal times, hand-washing and sleep times, when some children share bedding.”
An unstable storage unit and trailing wires were also cited as potential hazards to youngsters.
Bolton Council has now been forced to step in and enforce a detailed action plan to bring the nursery’s standards up to scratch.
A council spokesman said: “We are aware of this report and have already met with the manager and staff of the nursery.
“We have put a detailed action plan in place and will be working with them to address all issues raised in the report.”
Inspectors also criticised planned learning for being too structured and making children sit still or wait in line for too long, causing toddlers to become restless.
Ofsted has given strict instructions to nursery staff to ensure the required standards are met within a year.
The report said staff should take action to minimise the hazards to children such as reducing choking hazards and promote the good health of children.
A spokesman for the nursery in Canning Street said: “We are not at all happy that a Shining Stars Nursery was deemed inadequate.
“We are going to do our very best to improve before our next inspection.”
The nursery will be inspected again next January.
Comments are closed on this article.
Comments (3)
12:37pm Wed 6 Mar 13
Harry-Joe says...
Seems alittle laid back, unless the BN article is just lacking info. Doesnt read too well though.
1:28pm Wed 6 Mar 13
boltonnut says...
2:04pm Wed 6 Mar 13
Keepbees says...
That comment suggests their motivation to improve is to pass inspection rather than the health and safety of the children.
Why not remove the choke hazards immediately, start washing hands when preparing food immediately, etc. etc. ! Nothing there that warrants a year to complete.