Willesden nursery closed suddenly by Ofsted is allowed to reopen
Treetops Nursery in Doyle Gardens has reopened (pic: Nathalie Raffray) - Credit: Archant
There’s relief for parents and staff as children are allowed back at a Willesden nursery closed by educations watchdogs Ofsted over an unpaid invoice.
Liz Boffey, manager of Treetops Nursery in Doyle Gardens, was given the good news yesterday afternoon after paying an invoice the staff knew nothing about.
She said: “I can’t believe it, I’m so glad. Thank goodness it’s all sorted. Ofsted wanted us to wait another 24 hours and open on Monday.
“When I finally got hold of them they said they would get the payment team to call me within 24 hours but I thought I’m not waiting and called the team straightaway and paid the £220.”
She added: “It’s so nice to see all the children back. All the families have happy faces.”
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Ms Boffey said they had never received the invoice and only found out about the unpaid fee when she called asking after an overdue Ofsted report.
Parents were called on Wednesday afternoon and told to pick up their children.
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One grandmother made the journey from Buckinghamshire to collect her grandson, her son and daughter-in-law unable to leave work.
Brent Council sold the pre-school to private owners in 2012.
The private nursery was placed in special measures last November.
The report by the education watchdog highlights several failures, including a lack of lunch time organisation routines, not fully supporting children with a second language, the failure to fully implement a key person system to effectively meet childrens’ needs and not making “sufficient use” of ongoing observations and assessments.
Ofsted inspected the nursery on October 13 and have yet to file the report.
More than 60 families use the centre on a part-time or full-time basis. Parents pay a daily rate of £54 and a weekly rate of £210 for under-threes and £200 for over threes.
An Ofsted spokesman said: “This cancellation was due to an unpaid fee by the nursery. Whenever fees from a childcare provider go unpaid we contact the provider several times before taking the necessary action to deregister the setting.
“When an overdue payment is received we make every effort to reinstate the setting’s registration swiftly.”
