Leaders of a nursery have been blasted by Ofsted inspectors who downgraded it from the highest to the lowest rating.

Eljoy Nursery in Station Road, Chadwell Heath, has had its Ofsted rating collapse from 'outstanding' to 'inadequate' in all categories following a visit in October.

Ofsted published its report on Friday (December 1) and blasted Eljoy’s leaders.

“The leadership team do not have sufficient oversight to ensure the safe and efficient running of this nursery,” the Ofsted report read.

“There are gaps in the procedures for risk assessments that impact on children’s safety and wellbeing,” it went on. “Leaders further compromise children’s welfare by failing to meet hygiene requirements.”

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Ofsted assessed the nursery in four categories: the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

Eljoy was rated “inadequate” in all these metrics and overall.

The report added that food safety and hygiene practices were “particularly poor” and did not meet guidelines.

"The kitchen, in which meals are prepared for children, is particularly unclean," the report read. "These breaches have a significant impact on children's safety and wellbeing."

Staff safeguarding knowledge was also criticised, as was spotting signs of abuse.

“Leaders have not effectively monitored staff’s safeguarding knowledge to ensure all staff can identify potential signs of abuse and know the appropriate procedures for reporting concerns,” the report read.

Risk assessments were not secure, the report added, and Ofsted pointed to hazards throughout the nursery.

"There are hazards throughout the setting that have not been recognised and appropriately managed," it read. "The hygiene of the setting, particularly areas in which food is stored and prepared, is concerning."

Inspectors said there was a suggested culture "in which safeguarding children is not prioritised".

Children, for example, had been allowed to swing and climb on indoor equipment without proper reprimand, they found.

"As a result, children continue to do this in an unsafe way," the report stated.

Ofsted also found staff "do not set clear expectations of children's behaviour".

"As a result, children sometimes ignore adult instructions and are allowed to continue with unwanted behaviours."

But the education regulator found vetting and recruitment procedures thorough enough to ensure the suitability of staff to work with children.

Ofsted said the provider was not meeting some of the legal requirements in the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage.

The body subsequently served a welfare requirements notice on November 1, obligating Eljoy to take certain actions before November 20.

These included ensuring staff have a clear understanding of signs indicating a child could be at risk of harm, improving supervisions and bettering hygiene arrangements.

On November 22, Ofsted found Eljoy had arranged appropriate training for all staff to improve their safeguarding knowledge and supervisions, among other criteria.

“We are satisfied the provider has met the safeguarding and welfare actions raised,” Ofsted stated.

Despite this, Eljoy remains rated 'inadequate', a sharp decline from its 2018 rating of 'outstanding'.

Eljoy Nursery has been contacted for comment.