A CHILDREN’S nursery has been told it still needs to make improvements after getting poor Ofsted reports two years running.

The Slade Early Years Centre and Day Nursery in Wood Farm has been told it requires improvement by school watchdog Ofsted.

In a report published last week, inspectors said the teaching at the centre ‘was not yet consistently good’.

This is the second time the centre, opened in 2011, has been told it has not met the necessary standards to be rated good.

In September 2014, inspectors said: “At times, [staff] did not build on children’s self-chosen play effectively by providing additional resources for them to follow their own ideas and direct their own learning. During snack time in the morning session, there was a lack of emphasis on promoting children’s independence to undertake small tasks, which does not reflect the nursery’s ethos.”

Although there has been a change in management at the nursery, which cost £4m to build, there are still improvements required by staff, according to Ofsted.

In the most recent report, inspectors said: “[The] quality of teaching is not consistent as staff do not always allow children the time they need to think things through and find solutions for themselves and this hinders their learning.”

Staff at The Slade were not allowed to speak to the Oxford Mail.

Oxfordshire County Council operates the nursery and funds some of the 60 children at the early years centre.

Spokesman Paul Smith said: “The council would always seek to work with any early years or day nursery setting that is told it requires improvement by Ofsted.

“Ultimately it is the responsibility of the setting itself to make these improvements.”

Oxfordshire county councillor and governor at The Slade Liz Brighouse said the result of the Ofsted report was disappointing.

She added: “Clearly we have to get better than we are currently.

“The staff have been working very hard and there’s now new leadership in since the September report last year.

“There are clearly a whole range of issues in the report that the nursery will need to address.”

The councillor, who was awarded an OBE in 2009, said governors were working closely with the nursery to ensure lasting improvements would be made to ensure a better report when Ofsted returned.

Although the centre ‘requires improvement’, Ofsted inspectors did offer praise to the staff.

Inspector Penny Fisher said: “Children are well cared for. Staff are warm and responsive to the children, offering reassurance and comfort when needed.

“Children feel safe and secure while at nursery.

“Changes to the key person system have improved the opportunities for parents to share information about their child on a daily basis.

“Simple codes of behaviour are implemented consistently by the staff.”