NURSERY staff were not aware of potential hazards which put children at risk, according to an Ofsted report.

The quality of teaching at Steventon's Tiny Toes Nursery was also “variable”, while staff did not always challenge behaviour, according to a report from the Government’s education watchdog.

The findings come after an inspection, in July, when the nursery was rated as requiring improvement.

It previously scored Ofsted’s lowest rating as inadequate when it was visited in April.

In the report, inspector Natasha Crellin said: “Supervision of children outdoors is not always robust and staff do not always fully supervise children who engage in risky play. For example, children who used big rocks inappropriately on the slide were not asked to stop, which was dangerous for the other children.”

Ms Crellin added: “Children’s behaviour is not always good and staff are frequently unaware of when children are engaging in inappropriate conduct, such as kicking.”

But the nursery’s director, Margaret Webster, hit back at the report and said she would complain to Ofsted.

She said: “The way they write the report is standardised and what I read here is not what happened in our nursery.

“Parents who know us have written to us and say they are gobsmacked by Ofsted and their inspection. We try 100 per cent of our best. These children in our care are the most precious things to other people and we try the best that we can do.”

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