A NURSERY has been deemed inadequate by an education watchdog.

An Ofsted report revealed Free to Be nursery, in Chase Road, Southchurch, had failed to run a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check on its staff, which as a result, compromised the children’s safety.

Staff were also found to not manage the children’s behaviour appropriately or consistently.

The report stated: “Staff do not implement the behaviour management procedure consistently.

“This means children do not gain a sufficient understanding of appropriate ways to behave.”

The teaching was regarded as “very poor” and safeguarding concerns were also raised.

The inspection of the facility, which only opened in November 2017, was carried out in December 2018 and given a Welfare Requirements Notice which set out a number of practices which must be drastically improved.

The report further stated: “The manager does not adhere to procedures regarding staff’s personal use of mobile phones. This has a negative impact on children’s welfare.

“The manager is not effective in monitoring staff’s teaching and does not support their professional development. This means the quality of teaching is very poor.”

Free to Be Nursery was contacted for comment a number of times but no response was received.

“Staff do not implement an effective safeguarding policy. They are not aware of the procedure to follow, for example, if an allegation is made against a staff member.

“Staff’s understanding of the ‘Prevent’ duty guidance is weak.

“Children do not enjoy a sufficient balance of adult-led learning and child-initiated play.

“Staff do not offer activities and experiences that motivate children, encourage their independence or extend their learning.

“Staff fail to complete the required progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. This means they are unable to identify children’s strengths, or narrow gaps in areas where their progress is less than typical.

“Children do not have daily access to outdoor activities. This affects opportunities for them to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and enjoy fresh air and exercise.”

The Echo made several attempts to contact the nursery without success.