Two of Richmond’s nurseries have been graded ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted, with reports raising concerns over “ineffective” safeguarding and child development.

Little Paradise in Lower Richmond Road, Mortlake, and Brighter Beginnings in The Green, Twickenham, both failed inspections carried out last month.

The report found that Brighter Beginnings’ staff “do not organise care routines effectively to meet all children's needs”, particularly the length of time children wait at mealtimes.

Ofsted also brand the nursery’s leadership and management as “weak” and said children occasionally “are expected to sit for lengthy periods, for example, at group time, and some become bored and wander off”.

Brighter Beginnings’ safeguarding is “ineffective”, according to the report, and said first aid treatment is not administered in a timely manner.

The nursery has since purchased mini-fridges to ensure cold compresses are available to staff to treat all accident immediately.

The investigation also found that babies waking up are “left crying and staff do not attend to them quickly enough”, prompting the nursery to identify “how routines can meet the needs of the needs of individual children”.

However, the report did say that staff are generally “good role models” and “promote children’s understanding of respecting others”.

Nursery manager Lucy-Ann Thompson said: “The inspector judged the nursery as inadequate, largely as we failed to notify Ofsted that I was the new manager.

“The inspector referred to this in the leadership and management section of the report.

“Ofsted were notified of the change to the settings manager on the day of the inspection – we totally accept that this was our error.”

The report into Little Paradise found that, since opening in September, the nursery has been blighted by “inconsistent leadership” but praised the new manager for putting a new action plan in place.

It also said that children “are not progressing at the expected rate”, largely due to weaknesses in teaching and assessment.

Ofsted found that while babies are supported at mealtimes, staff “do not fully understand the importance of their role in meeting all children's needs”.

The report also said that “children become bored, restless and disruptive, which hampers their learning”.

It added that some children become “upset and distressed at times” and said that staff “do not help children who need extra support to make good progress”.