Babies ate off floor at 'inadequate' Swindon nursery

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-33652166

Version 0 of 1.

A nursery where babies were allowed to eat hard-trodden cereal off the floor and chew on cardboard has been rated "inadequate" by inspectors.

Ofsted found babies at Poppies Nursery in Swindon had been put at risk by staff failing to notice them filling their mouths with "dried, hard cereal".

Inspectors also found the privately-run nursery had poor teaching at times and weak assessment procedures.

The nursery, which has yet to comment, will be re-inspected in six months.

Poppies Nursery, in Ferndale Road, cares for babies and children up to the age of eight. It has 135 youngsters on its roll.

The report said managers and staff had a "poor understanding of potential hazards" to children's safety and were not "suitably vigilant" when babies were crawling around on the floor.

It added that teaching was "inadequate" at times and children's development was "not as good as it should be".

However, inspectors did find that children's physical development was being promoted with regular outdoor play opportunities.

Current rules mean if a nursery is rated inadequate, another Ofsted inspection will take place within the following six months.