A Croydon mum has withdrawn her child from nursery after an ‘Inadequate’ Ofsted report revealed safeguarding failures and a “lack of honesty from staff”.
Inspectors said the setting has faced a “real struggle” since losing its manager during the term. Busy Bees Nursery in Haling Park, Croydon, received the lowest possible grade following an inspection earlier this year.
The nursery, previously judged ‘Good’, was criticised for weak safeguarding practices, changing staff, and communication shortfalls with families. While details of specific safeguarding incidents have not been shared by Ofsted or the nursery, Busy Bees claimed “no children have left the building” but “poor supervision and deployment” have since been addressed.
One parent, who asked not to be named, has since removed her child from the nursery and claims other parents have done the same. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) how she had noticed changes at the nursery before the inspection.
“My child has been in the nursery for two years,” she said. “The manager left in the last six months, and it really went downhill.”
She described a noticeable shift in the environment following the leadership change. “About three months ago, I noticed a lot of different faces at the nursery. Loads of higher management are not in uniform.”
Despite being told about the management change, she claims parents were “kept in the dark” about the reason for the change. She said: “It’s about honesty. When you ask management what is happening, you just don’t get the truth.”
Ofsted inspectors who visited in March echoed these concerns in their report published on April 24. They stated: “Staff do not share consistent information with parents. Parents say they would like more photos and observations, along with information on what and how much food their children eat, how they play, and the activities they participate in.”
The nursery confirmed its Centre Director had moved to another Busy Bees branch, leaving the Assistant Centre Director to take over during the term. The nursery told the LDRS: “We informed parents of the recent leadership change via email, as our Centre Director transitioned to another branch and the Assistant Centre Director stepped into the role.”
It added: “We believe in transparent communication with our parents.”
Inspectors also highlighted other areas where the nursery was failing. These included unclear dietary information, inconsistent behaviour management, and a lack of a robust key-person system to support children and families from the start.
Ofsted inspectors stated: “There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children’s interests first.”
Later in the report, inspectors also criticised the staff’s conduct towards the children. The report read: “Staff physically move younger children or pick them up and carry them, rather than giving clear instructions on behaviour expectations, explaining what is expected and giving them time to respond to the request.”
The mum said the daily experience at the nursery reinforced her decision to leave. “The children come home dirty, it’s really bad,” she claimed. “It takes a lot for the staff to get back to you.”
She added that staff appeared to be making an effort but were restricted in what they could communicate to parents.
“I moved my child late in the year, and don’t have a lot of time until they go to school in September,” she said. “Now I am at another nursery, I am seeing a lot of things that we didn’t get before. You start reading stuff in the report, and it educates you. You realise I have never had that, or they don’t do that.”
The mum said she thought Busy Bees was a good choice for her first child’s nursery, but now she and other parents feel it is the wrong choice. She told the LDRS: “I just think it’s very alarming. You want a nursery where you can trust they are going to be honest with you about what’s going on there.”
Busy Bees opened its branch in Haling Park back in 2016. The nursery employs 25 staff members, 12 of whom hold early years qualifications ranging from Level 2 to Level 5.
In a statement responding to the concerns raised by Ofsted and parents, Busy Bees said: “We recognise the need to strengthen communication and partnerships and have already made significant improvements in this area. Our open-door policy encourages ongoing open conversations with our families, and any concerns reported to us have been addressed in line with Busy Bees’ policy and procedures.
“Most importantly, our priority is safeguarding children, and no children have left the building. We reported our concerns to external agencies regarding poor supervision and deployment within the setting. Following feedback from Ofsted, we have put measures in place to ensure transitions are robust within the setting. We will continue to work in close partnership with our parents to ensure our children receive the very best care.”
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