Nursery with ‘pasta and oats all over floor’ blames ‘disgruntled ex-employee’ for damning Ofsted report

An Ashton nursery has been slammed by an education watchdog after finding ‘tripping hazards’, ‘safety risks’ and ‘poor hygiene practice’. 

Ofsted paid a visit to Gummy Bears nursery in Hurst Cross on May 20, with the inspection rating them as ‘inadequate’ in all areas. The categories of quality of education, behaviour and attitude, personal development and leadership and management were all given the lowest rating by the government body.

The report published on July 16 found that staff members can’t perform all their duties because they have to supervise hazards in certain areas of the nursery.

“Due to the hazards in certain areas of the nursery, some staff are deployed to focus on supervising these areas,” the inspection report read. “For example, sitting in front of heaters to prevent children from accessing these.

“Consequently, staff are not able to support children in their learning or to implement the curriculum effectively.”

The nursery has refuted this claim, saying that the heaters are not actually switched on, meaning they don’t pose a risk.

The inspectors go on to describe how the stairs leading to the fire door have torn carpets, which create a tripping hazard, and fire routes are also used as play areas. This compromises the safe exit from the rooms in the event of a fire or other emergency, the report states.

The report also highlighted poor hygiene at the St Albans Avenue site, saying ‘staff don’t wash their hands’ and that ‘dried pasta and oats are left on the floor throughout the day’.

A spokesperson for the nursery said in response to this claim that the activities taking place were part of the story of the month, which was Goldilocks.

This was the nursery’s reasoning for the porridge oats lying around and added that the pasta was from a fine motor skill activity on the day of inspection.

Despite the negatives described in the report, inspectors do explain that the staff are caring towards the children who are warmly welcomed by the nursery workers. The curriculum was described in the report as broad, but not always effectively implemented.

A spokesperson for Gummy Bears said: “We strongly suspect that this has come from a malicious complaint from a disgruntled ex-employee who was dismissed for gross misconduct. We also believe that the Ofsted inspector had inside information that was given to her by this ex-employee. 

“We did appeal this and it took a long time with no communication back from Ofsted. We have been working with the early years team and also when a different inspector came out for the welfare requirement notice, she too was shocked about this and was a little confused with some of the comments that had been raised. 

“Some of the comments that were raised were about heaters, these were not plugged in at all. 

“Where it says that the practitioner is away from the room, this was to change nappies. This is part of protocol and part of the early years statutory framework of changing nappies; there was always someone to cover within the room to cover the ratio.

“We do not feel that this reflects us as a nursery at all, as the inspector came with this information that was given to her by the ex-employee

“Having spoken to parents and carers that are with us in the nursery now they are shocked at the grade, and have said that they have complete trust in us and they know that this is not us and does not reflect us as they believe in what we do here for the children and to enhance their development.”

Since the inspection, a follow-up visit was conducted by Ofsted on June 18, which found the nursery had already put in place the suggestion made by inspector Lynn Richards. The welfare visit report stated that effective risk assessments had been implemented and ensured that these informed staff practice. 

The nursery had also ensured that the premises were fit for purpose and suitable for the ages of the children being cared for, the visit found.