Northampton nursery where 'children are not engaged or motivated to learn' scolded by Ofsted

Totstop Day Nursery, which runs in Harrowden Road on Brackmills Industrial Estate, has been handed a scathing report by the education watchdog and has been branded "inadequate" in all areas of care.

Inspectors have heavily criticised the daycare for slip-ups in safeguarding, "weak" teaching and even for not interacting with the children in their care well.

The report reads: "The provider has failed to evaluate practice adequately. Breaches in the safeguarding and welfare requirements are not recognised.

"Not all staff are aware of the babies' individual care needs... Staff struggle to provide the reassurance upset babies need as they are unfamiliar to them.

"The quality of teaching in the baby room is weak. Staff do not always interact well with children... Younger children are not engaged or motivated to learn."

It comes after the nursery earned a "good" rating in its last inspection in 2016.

But now, the daycare has scored the lowest grade possible in all areas.

Totstop, which was inspected in May, was given a rap sheer of improvements to make by July and will already have been reinspected by Ofsted by time of writing.

The watchdog ordered the nursery to ensure their staff were more effective in the baby room and find a deputy manager with the skills to cover in the event of the manager's absence.

Meanwhile, inspectors said parents commented "positively" about the nursery and its "friendly staff".

The nursery looks after up to 65 children at a time aged between three-months-old and four years.