BOSSES of a city nursery has said the inspection system "must change" and has "formally raised concerns" after being rated inadequate in its latest report from Ofsted.

Safari Childcare, in Halstead Road, Colchester, was rated inadequate by the government watchdog following a new report published.

Inspectors Lynn Hughes and Sarah Stephens ranked the nursery as inadequate in the personal development and management categories.

It was rated however good in the quality of education and attitudes categories.

Following the report, the nursery has said it is has raised concerns with Ofsted.

Playing - an illustrative image of a child at a nurseryPlaying - an illustrative image of a child at a nursery (Image: Pixabay)

A spokesman said: "We contest the findings of the inspection and believe that the report does not accurately reflect the quality of care and education we provide.

"We have formally raised our concerns with Ofsted regarding both the content of the report and the internal handling of the inspection process.

"Safari Childcare has correspondence from the Local Area Designated Safeguarding Officer which directly contradict the evidence gathered on the inspection day which subsequently feeds into information in the report. 

"We strongly believe the system must change and until the process for complaints handling at Ofsted is overseen by an independent body, situations such as this will continue to occur."

The nursery’s last Ofsted report in 2021 saw it rated good.

However, the latest report said a weakness in leadership and their “oversight of the provision” means that Safari Childcare does “not consistently safeguard children”.

Children are “not always effectively supervised to ensure their safety” it added.

Nursery - another illustrative image of a child at day careNursery - another illustrative image of a child at day care (Image: Pixabay)

However, inspectors did note children "enjoy their nursery day" and staff attend regular safeguarding training.

Safari Childcare said it take the concerns raised "very seriously" and is "actively working to address any issues highlighted in the report".

The spokesman added: "As a setting we draw many positives from the report and there are numerous statements noted which highlights good practice which our children benefit from.

"Our commitment to the children and families we serve remains our main focus. We are dedicated to providing a safe, nurturing, and high-quality learning environment.

"We appreciate the continued support from our community as we work through this process."