Dollies and Dinosaurs: 'cold' nursery in St Annes where children were left to play by dangerously stored heavy equipment closes after damning Ofsted report

Dollies and Dinosaurs in Snowdon Road was rated ‘inadequate’ following the inspection in November and has now actually closed its doors, although a spokesman for Dollies and Dinosaurs said that was the intention anyway because of problems recruiting staff. A role play centre for under-sevens called Imagination Station is due be opened on the site by the same management in the coming months. The nursery opened in 2020 and the inspection, carried out on November 22, was its first.

What did Ofsted say about Dollies and Dinosaurs?

The inspector’s report said: “The provision is inadequate. Children's safety is at risk. They do not learn well in the setting's cold environment. Children are at risk of harm because of the manager's and staff's weak safeguarding practice. Staff fail to notice risks to children. For example, there is an unlocked gate in the outdoor play area that leads to an extra, unsuitable garden space. Children play where shed doors hang off the hinges and large, heavy equipment is not stored safely. Babies' learning and safety is impaired by staff's lack of attentive care. For instance, as they arrive at the nursery, distressed babies are passed from one staff member to another. This extends the time that babies take to settle and holds back their readiness to learn.

Risks weren’t identified by managers at the nursery, the report went on to state: “The manager does not identify risks to children or staff in the nursery rooms. For example, the evacuation cot is inaccessible and filled with nursery resources. Furthermore, outside of the fire door is a large water tray that blocks safe exit from the nursery. This prevents babies and staff from safe evacuation in an emergency. Mostly, children behave well and do what staff ask of them. However, children climb on nursery equipment without proper supervision and guidance from staff. Consequently, children fall off and hurt themselves.

Choking hazards ‘within grasp of babies’

Of equal concern to inspectors was the poor quality of learning provided by staff at the nursery. "The quality of the curriculum is poor. Some children wander around the nursery without focus because staff have low expectations for children's development and learning. Babies' learning is poor because staff do not talk and play with them in the way that they need. Children's individual needs are not supported and identified properly by staff. The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The manager has been negligent in her duty to safeguard children. Some staff place resources that are choking hazards within the grasp of babies. Staff have attended paediatric first-aid training.”

What does Dollies and Dinosaurs say about the Ofsted report?

A spokeswoman for Dollies and Dinosaurs said, with the nursery having opened during lockdown, face-to-face training had been difficult and it had always faced problems recruiting staff. "But importantly we never felt we put children at risk and we feel the Ofsted report is a snapshot of a five-hour visit and very harsh,” she said. "Over the two and a half years we were open, many of the same children were with us throughout and we never had any complaints from parents. The inspector didn’t even talk to the parents.”