Pennyland nursery in Thurso declared 'weak' in hard-hitting care report
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Leadership at the Pennyland nursery in Thurso is weak while parents are concerned about the impact of staff changes on children, according to a critical report by the Care Inspectorate.
It found the nursery, run by Highland Council, has strengths but also "significant weaknesses". The unannounced inspection took place between May 9 and 12.
The inspectors use a six-point scale in evaluating quality, with one being unsatisfactory and six, excellent. At Pennyland, which caters for a maximum of 80 children, it found the leadership, staff team, care play and learning to be at number two, "weak". The setting was described as adequate (three).
The report said: "The majority of staff interactions were kind, caring and nurturing. This contributed to children's overall wellbeing. However, not all staff knew the needs of all the children, which resulted in them not receiving the support they need to reach their potential.
"Some parents were of the opinion that the most of the staff knew their children and were happy with the care provided for them. However, the majority of parents were concerned about the high number of changes to staff, staff's lack of knowledge about their children and how this impacted on the quality of care children received, their wellbeing and safety.
"Since the last inspection on January 27, there had been a significant number of changes within the staff team which had adversely impacted on all areas of the service provided and outcomes for children. Parents felt that they had not been kept informed about any changes implemented and that their feedback was not being sought."
The report said there had been "a decline in the play and learning experiences for children" and work "needed to be completed to ensure outcomes improved".
On leadership, it said there were some strengths with quality assurance and improvements being "well led" but added: "The quality of children's experiences was being compromised. Parents commented that they often did not know the names of the staff. Several also stated that they questioned how well children were being supervised and whether their children's safety was being compromised.
"Comments made included 'staff change on an almost daily basis and no information given as to who they are. Half the time I have no idea who the staff are', 'The nursery is often understaffed' and 'Staffing is a massive concern'".
However, the report also said: "Although the current staff team had only been working together for a short time, we did observe some positive team working. They were warm and friendly, which promoted a happy and secure environment. Staff were welcoming and engaged in the inspection process. They were responsive to suggestions and showed a commitment to making improvements to support good outcomes for children."
On setting, it stated that "strengths only just outweighed weaknesses".
The Care Inspectorate has issued the nursery with a list of requirements and a timescale to implement them.
Highland Council was asked for a comment.
