Unicorn Nursery Castleford: Ofsted rates nursery Inadequate over 'poor quality' of education

Unicorn Nursery Castleford, based at the Day Care Centre on Leeds Road, has been downgraded further from Requires Improvement to Inadequate, by the education watchdog, according to its latest inspection report.

The nursery was judged to be Requires Improvement at its previous inspection and, following the latest visit, Ofsted said: “The provider has not made the necessary improvements since the last inspection.”

Ofsted rated the nursery as Inadequate in all areas following the most recent inspection – including the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

The report said: “The provider has not made the necessary improvements since the last inspection. As a result, the quality of education is poor and safeguarding is ineffective. Some staff do not promote children's positive emotional well-being and use inappropriate strategies to manage their behaviour.

“On occasion, toddlers become upset and staff fail to offer comfort to them. The weaknesses in safeguarding practice mean staff are unable to identify, record and report concerns about children. This does not promote children's welfare or safety.”

Inspectors noted that, during such instances, the manager acted swiftly to speak to staff regarding this issue.

The report said: “Despite this, children arrive at the nursery happily and are pleased to see their peers and the staff team. Older children access resources independently and begin to enjoy using paints, brushes and water to make marks.

“Staff who work with babies provide secure foundations for their learning. Overall, staff promote children's good physical health. They enjoy freshly cooked meals and follow good hygiene routines.”

However, inspectors also said that some staff “lack the skills to help toddlers” and do not speak positively to them during activities.

Adding: “At times, older children use inappropriate language during play outdoors. Staff use threats such as taking outdoor play away, to try and resolve the behaviour. This is ineffective and does not support children's personal, social and emotional development.”

Inspectors said that safeguarding procedures for recording concerns were not followed by the manager, making it “difficult to identify any emerging patterns of concern”.

But the report said the new management team have now started to create plans for improvement, including making changes to the pre-school environment.

Unicorn Nursery has been approached for comment.