Inspectors fear for children's safety at Shrewsbury nursery

Small stones in the garden area at Katie's Kids Nursery in Monkmoor Road are a choking hazard, and a pond is left uncovered, according to a report.

Inspectors also said that children's safety while outside could not be assured "through staff supervision alone".

The nursery has been rated inadequate following an inspection in August and Ofsted has said staff training must be carried out in first aid and roles and responsibilities.

Owner Katie Wellington said that action plans are in place to ensure standards are met at the nursery, which has 25 children enrolled. She said a monitoring visit would take place in three weeks and that parents have been kept fully informed of the situation.

The nursery was also criticised over teaching standards.

Ofsted inspector Christine Armstrong said: "Children's safety and welfare is not adequately protected because effective vetting systems are not in place to ensure staff members working with children are suitable to do so. Risk assessments are not robust and staff do not identify risks to children and put appropriate measures in place. This does not ensure children are kept safe.

"Arrangements are not in place to ensure all areas of the garden have been risk assessed. As a result, there are significant risks to children's safety when they play outdoors and their safety cannot be assured through staff supervision alone. Risks include a large amount of small stones, which present a significant choking hazard and an uncovered water pond, which presents a high risk to children's safety.

"The weaknesses in relation to the limited training and support staff receive are reflected in the poor quality of teaching. The quality of teaching is inadequate because the majority of staff lack the knowledge of how to promote learning and support children to make progress.

"The owner and staff do not have adequate knowledge of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

"Assessment and planning is not securely based on children's achievements and does not challenge them to make good progress. Staff do not receive the supervision, coaching and support they need to ensure assessments of what children can do are based on accurate observations or take into account what parents know about their children."

Mrs Wellington said: "We will be having another monitoring visit in three week's time. An action plan was put in place within 24 hours of the inspection and a new management team installed.

"The garden was inspected last week and was passed. I have sent a letter to the parents and I am keeping them abreast of the situation."