Leeds Montessori: Nursery suffers dramatic Ofsted downgrade as inspectors raise major safeguarding concerns

Leeds Montessori School & Day Nursery, located on Wetherby Road, near Roundhay, was downgraded from an Outstanding to an Inadequate rating following an inspection on November 12, according to a newly-published report.

It had 65 children on its roll at the time of the inspection, which took place on November 12.

The nursery was rated as Requires Improvement for both quality of education and behaviour and attitudes, while also receiving Inadequate ratings for both personal development and leadership and management.

A spokesperson for the nursery said they were “disappointed with Ofsted’s findings” but “working tirelessly to improve the setting”.

The latest inspection is the first full inspection since the business was sold to Bright Stars Nurseries in 2022.

The education watchdog said in a newly-published report: “Leaders do not always work effectively with the local safeguarding partnership. This has an impact on vulnerable children's safety. The new management team does not yet have adequate oversight of the nursery. It has not yet embedded processes for improving practice.

“This means that curriculum delivery is variable across the nursery. For example, the quality of staff's interaction with children varies widely. That said, the new staff team is beginning to work effectively together.”

The report also said that arrangements for safeguarding were “not effective” at the nursery.

It added: “There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.”

Inspectors said that, in order to improve, nursery staff needed to “develop a deeper understanding of children's learning needs”.

The report said bosses also needed to “improve the youngest children's health and well-being further, for example, by increasing their access to outdoor play.”

There had been “considerable changes in the nursery at all levels”, Ofsted found.

Inspectors said: “The new leadership team is beginning to identify the improvements that need to be made. However, these are not yet having a full impact on the quality of the provision.

“Staff know how to contact safeguarding authorities if they are concerned about children's welfare. However, leaders have failed to follow the local safeguarding partnership's reporting procedures in the case of allegations being made against adults who work with children.”

The report said staff get to know children and their families, “so that they can meet children's basic needs”.

But it added: “However, they have not yet used all available tools, such as the progress check at age two, to understand children's needs on a deeper level. This means that it is not always clear when additional support could be useful for children.”

However, inspectors praised staff at the nursery for developing “warm and trusting relationships” with children.

The report said: “They benefit from warm and trusting relationships with staff as they get to know each other. Children behave well. They show that they feel happy and safe with staff. For example, staff acknowledge that babies prefer familiar adults to change their nappies or provide comfort.

“This means that the youngest children are usually very settled and quickly comforted if they become upset or unwell. Children confidently explore the well resourced environment. They quickly find something that interests them and are busy throughout the day.

“Staff help children to play safely. Children learn to follow daily routines that help to keep them safe.”

Inspectors also praised staff for regularly practising five core songs and books, which “aids children's understanding and pronunciation of the vocabulary they are learning”.

The report added: “Children enjoy the healthy and home-cooked meals that meet their dietary requirements and preferences. They learn to prepare their fruit for snack and develop pleasant table manners.”

A spokesperson for Leeds Montessori School & Day Nursery said: “We are disappointed with Ofsted’s findings and are working tirelessly to improve the setting and provide the best outcomes for the children in our care.

“Despite the inadequate rating, we are pleased the inspectors noted a number of positives about the children’s experience at the nursery including how they benefit from warm and trusting relationships with our team, feel happy and safe and show good table manners when enjoying their healthy meals and snacks.

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“As the report indicates, there have been significant changes in personnel at the nursery and our new leadership team has identified improvements which are required as we move into a period of stability.

“Work to improve our safeguarding processes has already begun, to ensure we have a detailed understanding of each child who attends our nursery.

“We have increased staff training as well as ensured consistent staff supervisions take place, improved the process for appropriate child assessments and there is an added focus on outdoor activities.”