Nursery staff who wiped children's noses did not wash hands

Staff at a nursery did not wash their hands after wiping children's noses or before serving food, inspectors found.

Clever Clowns Day Nursery in Wythenshawe, Manchester, was rated "inadequate" in all areas by Ofsted.

Inspectors found poor quality teaching, hygiene issues, and a choking hazard that put children's safety at risk during a visit in October.

The nursery has now taken all immediate actions required by the regulator but is set to close before Christmas.

The other branch of the nursery - in Hollyhedge Road, Gatley - was also rated "inadequate" in October and closed before inspectors could visit again, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The Wythenshawe nursery, located at the former Eagle pub in Greenbrow Road, Newall Green, had been rated "good" in 2018.

But when inspectors visited in October, they found that children's wellbeing and safety was being compromised and raised safeguarding concerns.

Their report said the quality of teaching was poor and the children would get bored quickly before moving on to something else.

A choking hazard was identified in the garden but swift action was not taken by staff, putting children at potential risk of harm or injury.

Inspectors said staff did not wash their hands after wiping children's noses or before serving food and they did not always ensure good hygiene was followed.

Staff were also criticised for their work on language and communication, and the maths curriculum was described in the report as being poor.

Ofsted said it was satisfied that the nursery had met the safeguarding and welfare actions raised after carrying out a regulatory visit on 24 November.

A spokesman for the nursery confirmed the closure, and said staff were helping parents find alternative childcare.

A report from the sister nursery in Gatley said that children were "not safe", noting they were "unsettled", "confused" and "disengaged".

The environment of the nursery was described as "incredibly disorganised", with broken and discarded items posing risks.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]