A NURSERY has been rated "inadequate" by the education watchdog for the second time in a row.
Rowdown Childcare Centre received the latest criticism from Ofsted over staff training procedures, unchallenging activities for children and lack of indoor play facilities.
But the inspector found none of the safeguarding failings and inadequate staffing that led to their previous poor rating based on a visit last September.
Pauline Hill, area manager for the centre's owners Croydon Play Plus, said she was "disappointed" with the report but stressed the problems had been resolved since the inspectors' visit in February.
She added the centre's manager had been temporarily posted to another of the company's centres for training while she and another manager looked after Rowdown. The centre, in Calley Down Crescent, provides holiday and out-of-school care for children aged four and above.
Ms Hill, who was brought in to improve matters after the first "inadequate" rating, said: "I was disappointed because we have spent an awful lot of time [working to improve]. Our first report really was bad, it was absolutely disgusting, and I spent a lot of time and effort just to be let down."
In her report on April 11, inspector Tracey Murphy said leaders had not met an action point set at the last inspection to "ensure all staff had regular supervision to help them and identify their training needs."
She added that some activities "lacked challenge", staff did not provide physical play indoors when weather conditions were bad, and staff did "not share information about children's learning with parents and teachers".
But she praised staff for managing children's behaviour well, saying children played "harmoniously together", were "confident" and "engage[d] well in choosing their own activities and resources in a welcoming environment".
Ms Hill said the manager was doing the staff appraisals referred to by the inspector, but was not recording them properly.
She added that rubber mats were now to be used at the centre for children to play indoors, noting that there were also indoor games but the manager did not get them out during the inspector's visit.
She thought the inspector's rating was "a bit harsh", but added: "Last year we failed spectacularly so they are going to find fault. But everything has been addressed."
Ofsted now has a tougher inspection regime for nurseries, with the "satisfactory" rating replaced by "requires improvement".
