Bexley Nursery Failed to Conduct DBS Checks, Endangering Children’s Safety

Regulatory Action Taken Against Bexley Nursery

Ofsted has instituted regulatory measures against a nursery in Bexley following the revelation that it failed to conduct essential DBS checks during the recruitment of its staff. On April 21, inspectors from the education regulator visited Easy Peasy Nursery and Daycare, located at 57 Glimpsing Green in Erith, and discovered a significant lapse in the safeguarding protocols that are legally mandated for educational institutions. The subsequent Ofsted report highlighted multiple areas within the nursery that necessitated immediate improvement.

As compliance with Ofsted’s safeguarding standards is a legal obligation for all educational settings, a Welfare Requirements Notice was issued to the nursery, mandating the completion of specific tasks to rectify its safeguarding deficiencies. Inspectors noted: “Leaders have not ensured that there is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that adequately protects children from harm.” Furthermore, they pointed out that new staff members lacked a secure understanding of safeguarding procedures, leading to an insufficient awareness of their child protection responsibilities.

Serious Concerns Regarding Child Safety

During the inspection, it was observed that staff were not consistently vigilant in identifying potential risks within the nursery environment, which further endangered the safety of the children. Inspectors raised particular concern over children not being securely fastened in high chairs and noted that they could access both garden and indoor areas without adequate adult supervision, characterising these issues as “significant failings.”

The provisions for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) were also described as “ineffective,” with management under scrutiny for neglecting to perform DBS checks and obtain references when hiring new staff. This oversight has been deemed to “place children at risk of harm and demonstrates a failure to understand and fulfil statutory safeguarding responsibilities.”

Leadership and Staff Management Issues

The Ofsted report further highlighted the detrimental impact of a high staff turnover on the children’s experiences, indicating that leaders had not sufficiently investigated or addressed the root causes of this instability. It was noted that the capacity of the leadership team was severely stretched, with managers facing an excessive workload due to a lack of confidence and support from their team. This situation has resulted in inadequate oversight of daily operations, staff deployment, and the overall quality of teaching.

While training was recorded and monitored, leaders were found to be failing in ensuring that such training translated into meaningful improvements in practice.

Positive Steps Towards Compliance

In response to the inspection findings, Easy Peasy Nursery has taken steps to enhance its safeguarding measures. The nursery has provided safeguarding training to all staff members, ensured that equipment is used safely while under appropriate supervision, and restricted children’s access to areas where staff are not present. Additionally, they have obtained and verified references for all employees to improve their recruitment processes.

Easy Peasy Nursery and Daycare has been contacted for a response regarding these developments.

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