A NORTH Oxford nursery school has been closed following allegations of children being physically abused.

Education watchdog Ofsted investigated Park Town Nursery in Dragon Lane in November after complaints were made about children being force fed.

Ofsted also said it received complaints traising concerns that some members of staff were grabbing children and shouting at them.

The school was temporarily closed on November 18 while the claims were investigated.

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Following a site visit, inspectors said the school had been closed permanently on January 16.

They said they failed to receive assurances that children were safe while attending the nursery.

And the watchdog revealed the nursery had failed to keep children safe for the past two years.

The Ofsted report into the investigation said: “Although the police investigation is ongoing, following the completion of Ofsted enquiries we decided to take action to cancel the registration pertaining the provider of Park Town Nursery.

“Our reasons for taking this action were that the provider had failed for a period of over two years to safeguard children or to ensure that proper safeguarding procedures were raised in respect of some of the members of staff working at the setting. Ofsted could not be assured that children were safe when attending the setting.”

Nursery owner Sara Mander resigned her Ofsted registration, which allowed her to run the school, after inspectors told her it was going to be cancelled.

Ms Mander refused to comment.

The Ofsted report said: “The allegations received consisted of incidents of low-level physical assaults and mistreatment of children in the care of the nursery.”

The £50-a-day nursery was attended by 24 children when it was shut.

Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for education Melinda Tilley said the council had helped find the children places in other schools. She said: “I am pleased that if a nursery is not serving children well at a vital time in their development, it is closed.”

Oxford City councillor for North Oxford Louise Upton said: “Thank heavens we have something like Ofsted which can investigate things like this.”

Thames Valley Police spokeswoman Hannah Williams said: “Our investigations are ongoing. No one has been arrested and we are working in liaison with Ofsted.”


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