AN inspector has warned an East Oxford nursery children’s safety is “compromised” over access arrangements.

Ofsted said the door code to Little Troopers in Stanley Road was available to parents and could therefore be passed on.

It rated the nursery, which looks after up to 25 children, inadequate after last month’s visit. It was last rated good in 2010.

The report said: “Security measures are not robust and as a result children’s safety is compromised.”

Inspector Rachel Pepper wrote: “Reasonable steps are not being taken to prevent unauthorised people entering the premises or to ensure that children cannot leave the premises unsupervised.”

She also raised concerns about criminal record checks on staff through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The report added: “Although ratios throughout the children’s rooms are maintained, staff still awaiting DBS clearance are being left unsupervised at times with children, placing them at risk.

“This highlights that there is too little understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements at present.”

It praised bonding between children and staff, and youngsters had shown “a real sense of belonging”.

Nursery director Rebecca Warner said it now has a buzzer system for parent access and it is looking at having an intercom and CCTV.

She said: “The report has helped us to reflect on our setting and we will be looking more closely at our setting.

“We have taken on board constructively the points raised by Ofsted and we are implementing changes so that we can soon be back up to our good rating.

“The support from our parents has been wonderful.”

The nursery will take on up to a total of 36 children after it won a planning appeal in January so it can use the top two floors of the building.

Oxfordshire County Council said it will not fund new places for two-year-olds while the nursery is rated inadequate.