Earlier this month Ofsted published another report on Strawberry Babybubs Nursery in St James’s Churchyard, Bermondsey.

Once again the nursery has been given the lowest possible rating – ‘inadequate’. Inspectors found that:

• The key-person system is not effective in helping children to feel settled and secure.
•  Staff who have not been cleared by the vetting system are given responsibilities to change nappies unsupervised. This means children’s welfare cannot be assured.
• Not all staff have a sound understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard children. In addition, documentation lacks information about staff attendance and deployment, and policies lack required details that staff must observe to keep children safe.
• The management’s system to monitor the quality of teaching and track the progress of all children is weak, particularly with regard to completing progress checks for two- year-olds.
•  Although outside play is part of the written daily routine, staff do not ensure babies have regular opportunities to spend time outdoors. There are few opportunities for babies and toddlers to engage in sensory and messy play activities to support their emotional and physical development.

The former Galleywall Primary School buildings in Galleywall Road could host a new primary ‘free school’ linked to the City of London Academy under plans revealed this week.

Galleywall Primary School closed in 2005 after several years in ‘special measures’. The buildings are currently being used by Southwark Park Primary School during the rebuilding of their own premises.

If approved, The City of London Primary Academy Southwark would open in September 2016 with an initial intake of 60 Reception students. It would reach its full complement of 420 students by 2023.

The Galleywall Road site is just a short walk from the existing City of London Academy secondary school on Lynton Road.

“This is a perfect site and opportunity to create a much-need new school for the Bermondsey area,” said Angela Murphy, City of London Corporation education strategy advisor.

“In partnership with our existing local schools and with Southwark Council, who own the site, we want to create an excellent school with aspirational, enterprising and adventurous values at its heart.

“It will be a community-focused school but will also provide an enriched education that exposes children to opportunities to explore the world around them.”

The ‘free school’ bid is also backed by South Bermondsey councillors and Redriff Primary, which is already part of the City of London Corporation family of schools.

Lucas Green, chair of governors of Redriff and Grange ward Labour councillor, said: “This is a unique and exciting partnership between the City of London Corporation, Southwark and existing local schools.

“If successful, the proposal will ensure that the former Galleywall site will be used for exactly what we know local people want – the provision of much-needed extra local primary school places.”

Cllr Victoria Mills, cabinet member for children and schools, said: “I am really pleased that we are able to support the proposals for another new primary school, this time in the north of the borough.

“Not only will it be hopefully a welcome new option for local parents, it will also help us to deliver our strategy to create new, permanent places and ensure our pupils continue to have the best opportunities.”

Local residents are encouraged to complete a survey at: www.cityacademyprimary.co.uk

There is a consultation event later this month for interested parents to hear more about the proposed school and have their say on the plans. 6pm-8pm Tuesday 28th October 2014  at City of London Academy (COLA), 240 Lynton Road, London SE1 5LA

Ofsted has published a highly critical report on the Strawberry Babybubs Nursery in Bermondsey.

Inspectors visited the nursery, which is situated near St James’s Church, in July and awarded it the lowest possible rating of 4 which means ‘inadequate’.

Most significantly, the inspectors found that the nursery’s management had not obtained criminal record checks from the Disclosure and Barring Service for all members of staff.

The report said:

Management has not obtained necessary checks from the Disclosure and Barring Service for some members of staff. This is a breach of the safeguarding and welfare requirements, which places children at risk. It means the requirements of the Childcare Register are not met either. Management does not routinely obtain written references for staff as part of background checks about their suitability to work with children.

A controversial high-rise development on Rotherhithe New Road including a new home for Southwark Free School and a sixth form centre for the City of London Academy could be completed in 2018.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson overruled Southwark Council to approve the 19-storey scheme just before Christmas.

“In the last few weeks we have exchanged contracts for the purchase of a development site on Rotherhithe New Road, Southwark, SE16 for £19 million,” said Jon Di-Stefano, chief executive of Telford Homes.

“The site has planning consent for 148 open market homes and 10 affordable homes in a building ranging from six to 19 storeys alongside the construction of a new primary school and sixth form academy within the lower levels.

“The development is expected to be completed in 2018 and has a gross development value of circa £75 million.”